Cytokines and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling in prostate cancer : overview and therapeutic opportunities

The Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway was originally identified as a key cellular mechanism mediating the action of cytokines, interferons, and growth factors for the control of gene expression. Extracellular signals mediated by cytokines are thus transduced through this pathway into transcriptional programs that regulate cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, invasion, survival, and inflammation. In prostate cancer, an aberrant or persistent activation of the JAK/STAT signaling is related to tumor growth and disease progression, making this pathway an ideal therapeutic target. Here, we review the most recent literature on this topic, and we summarize the latest advances and future challenges in therapeutically targeting the JAK/STAT pathway in prostate cancer