Sphingosine-1-phosphate Links Persistent STAT3 Activation, Chronic Intestinal Inflammation, and Development of Colitis-associated Cancer

Overview

Journal Cancer Cell

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Oncology

Date 2013 Jan 1

PMID 23273921

Citations 318

Authors

Jie Liang

Masayuki Nagahashi

Eugene Y Kim

Kuzhuvelil B Harikumar

Akimitsu Yamada

Wei-Ching Huang

Nitai C Hait

Jeremy C Allegood

Megan M Price

Dorit Avni

Kazuaki Takabe

Tomasz Kordula

Sheldon Milstien

Sarah Spiegel

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer. We show that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) produced by upregulation of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) links chronic intestinal inflammation to colitis-associated cancer (CAC) and both are exacerbated by deletion of Sphk2. S1P is essential for production of the multifunctional NF-κB-regulated cytokine IL-6, persistent activation of the transcription factor STAT3, and consequent upregulation of the S1P receptor, S1PR1. The prodrug FTY720 decreased SphK1 and S1PR1 expression and eliminated the NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 amplification cascade and development of CAC, even in Sphk2(-/-) mice, and may be useful in treating colon cancer in individuals with ulcerative colitis. Thus, the SphK1/S1P/S1PR1 axis is at the nexus between NF-κB and STAT3 and connects chronic inflammation and CAC.

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