Journal: International Journal of Oncology

Article Title: Smoking promotes colorectal cancer via the CKAP2L/AREG axis

doi: 10.3892/ijo.2026.5872

Figure Lengend Snippet: CKAP2L promotes proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells through the STAT3/AREG/EGFR axis. (A) Expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 proteins measured by western blotting. (B) Calculation of IC 50 in HCT116 cells treated with Stattic for 24 h. (C) Levels of AREG were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. (D) Migration of cells was detected by Transwell assay (×100 magnification). (E) Proliferation of cells was measured by Cell Counting Kit 8. (F) Expression levels of proteins measured by western blotting. (G) Binding peak of STAT3 on the promoter region of AREG was detected by Cistrome Data Browser, the binding motif was predicted using the JASPAR database, and the binding of STAT3 to the AREG promoter was evaluated by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Data were analyzed using (A and G) Unpaired Student's t-test, and (C-F) two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test. * P<0.05, ** P<0.01, *** P<0.001 and **** P<0.0001. AREG, amphiregulin; CKAP2L, cytoskeleton-associated protein 2-like; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; NC, negative control; p-, phosphorylated; sh, short hairpin; STAT3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TSS, transcription start site.

Article Snippet: The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation inhibitor Stattic (cat. no. HY-13818; MedChemExpress) was dissolved in DMSO for cell culture.

Techniques: Migration, Expressing, Western Blot, Reverse Transcription, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Transwell Assay, Cell Counting, Binding Assay, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation, Negative Control

Journal: International Journal of Oncology

Article Title: Smoking promotes colorectal cancer via the CKAP2L/AREG axis

doi: 10.3892/ijo.2026.5872

Figure Lengend Snippet: Smoking may promote colorectal cancer progression through the CKAP2L/STAT3/AREG/EGFR axis. This figure was drawn by Figdraw ( https://www.figdraw.com/ ). AREG, amphiregulin; CKAP2L, cytoskeleton-associated protein 2-like; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; STAT3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.

Article Snippet: The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation inhibitor Stattic (cat. no. HY-13818; MedChemExpress) was dissolved in DMSO for cell culture.

Techniques:

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: Identifying the therapeutic potential of niclosamide in overcoming IFN-gamma dependent cancer immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1761715

Figure Lengend Snippet: IFNγ up-regulate PD-L1 expression in MC38 cells through IFN-STAT1 signaling. PD-L1 expression on MC38 cell surface was significantly increased in the presence of IFN-γ analyzed by flow cytometry (A) and by immune fluorescent staining (B-C) at 24 hours. (D) When treated with siRNA of STAT1, the up-regulation of PD-L1 was significantly reduced, while siRNA of STAT3 has an opposite effect. (E, F) The small interfering RNA reaches a sufficient knock down of STAT1 and STAT3, as shown by real-time PCR assay. (G-I) The mRNA of STAT1 target genes such as CXCL10 and IL-15 shown similar trend of regulation by IFN-γ as PD-L1. (J) The mRNA of STAT3 target gene, MCL-1, shown totally different regulation under normal condition and under treatment of siRNAs. (K, L) The expression of STAT1/STAT3 normal and phosphorylated proteins, and PD-L1 proteins in MC38 cell lines were measured by Western blotting with different dose of IFN-γ stimulation (K) or after knocking down of STAT1 (siSTAT1) or STAT3 (siSTAT3) (L ). The number on the image indicates the relative abundance of PD-L1 protein (fold of control). The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of triplicate measurements in each group. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.

Article Snippet: STAT1 inhibitor Fludarabine (F-ara-A, NSC 118218) (MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0069) and STAT3 inhibitor Niclosamide (BAY2353, MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0497) were purchased from MedChemExpress (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Flow Cytometry, Staining, Small Interfering RNA, Knockdown, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Western Blot, Control

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: Identifying the therapeutic potential of niclosamide in overcoming IFN-gamma dependent cancer immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1761715

Figure Lengend Snippet: IFN-γ modulate cancer cell stemness in MC38 cells indirectly through IFN-STAT3 pathway. (A-C) Ki-67 expression in the MC38 tumor spheres was significantly reduced in the presence of IFN-γ analyzed by flow cytometry and immune fluorescence. (D, E) The tumor sphere forming unit induced in the MC38 cells were also reduced in the presence of IFN-γ (Arrowhead: tumor spheroid. Scale bar: 200μm). (F) When MC38 cells were pre-treated with siRNA of STAT1/STAT3, the SFU show different changes. (G) When MC38 cells were pre-treated with siRNA of STAT1/STAT3, both the CD44 hi CD133- and CD44 hi CD133+ cell population show different trend of regulation by IFN-γ. (H-K) The mRNA of cancer stem cell markers was measured by real-time PCR. (L) The expression of cancer stem cell marker proteins in cell nucleus was measured by Western blot. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of triplicate measurements in each group. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, nd, no significant difference.

Article Snippet: STAT1 inhibitor Fludarabine (F-ara-A, NSC 118218) (MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0069) and STAT3 inhibitor Niclosamide (BAY2353, MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0497) were purchased from MedChemExpress (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Flow Cytometry, Fluorescence, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Marker, Western Blot

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: Identifying the therapeutic potential of niclosamide in overcoming IFN-gamma dependent cancer immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1761715

Figure Lengend Snippet: Niclosamide has inhibition effect on both STAT1 and STAT3, which blocks IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 up-regulation in MC38 cells while also reduces CSCs formation. (A) The expression of STAT1/STAT3 signaling pathway and PD-L1 proteins in MC38 cell lines with Fludarabine and Niclosamide treatment was measured by Western blot. (B) The surface PDL1 expression level was measured by FACS with IFN-γ and Niclosamide treatment. (C) The cell viability of MC38 when co-cultured with T cells and pre-treated with Fludarabine (F-ara-A) or Niclosamide were measured by CCK8 assay. (D) The sphere forming units induced in MC38 cells was measured with or without Niclosamide treatment. (E) The cell population of CD44 hi CD133+ in MC38 treated with Niclosamide was measured by FACS. (F) The expression of cancer stem cell marker proteins in cell nucleus was measured by Western blot. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of triplicate measurements in each group. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.

Article Snippet: STAT1 inhibitor Fludarabine (F-ara-A, NSC 118218) (MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0069) and STAT3 inhibitor Niclosamide (BAY2353, MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0497) were purchased from MedChemExpress (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA).

Techniques: Inhibition, Expressing, Western Blot, Cell Culture, CCK-8 Assay, Marker

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: Identifying the therapeutic potential of niclosamide in overcoming IFN-gamma dependent cancer immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1761715

Figure Lengend Snippet: Hypoxia enhances PD-L1 upregulation by IFN-γ, while Niclosamide down-regulates Hif1α under hypoxic conditions. (A, B) The expression level of STAT1/STAT3 signaling pathway and PD-L1 proteins in MC38 cell lines with siRNA (A) or Fludarabine and Niclosamide treatment (B) was measured by Western blot. (C) Cell viability of MC38 cells pre-treated with different dose of IFN-γ and co-cultured with primary T cells were measured by CCK8 assay, under normoxia or hypoxic conditions. (D) The Cell viability of MC38 cells treated with different dose of Fludarabine or Niclosamide were measured by CCK8 assay, under normoxia or hypoxic conditions. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of triplicate measurements in each group. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.

Article Snippet: STAT1 inhibitor Fludarabine (F-ara-A, NSC 118218) (MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0069) and STAT3 inhibitor Niclosamide (BAY2353, MedChemExpress, Cat. No.: HY-B0497) were purchased from MedChemExpress (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Western Blot, Cell Culture, CCK-8 Assay