PIM1/STAT3 axis: a potential co-targeted therapeutic approach in triple-negative breast cancer

Med Oncol. 2022 May 15;39(5):74. doi: 10.1007/s12032-022-01675-2.

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer lacks an expression of ER, PR, and Her-2, has a poor prognosis, and there are no target therapies available. Therapeutic options to treat TNBC are limited and urgently needed. Strong evidence indicates that molecular signaling pathways have a significant function to regulate biological mechanisms and their abnormal expression endows with the development of cancer. PIM kinase is overexpressed in various human cancers including TNBC which is regulated by various signaling pathways that are crucial for cancer cell proliferation and survival and also make PIM kinase as an attractive drug target. One of the targets of the STAT3 signaling pathway is PIM1 that plays a key role in tumor progression and transformation. In this review, we accumulate the current scenario of the PIM-STAT3 axis that provides insights into the PIM1 and STAT3 inhibitors which can be developed as potential co-inhibitors as prospective anticancer agents.

Keywords: PIM inhibitors; PIM1; STAT3; STAT3 inhibitors; Triple-negative breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Humans
  • Prospective Studies
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • PIM1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1