Stat3 Partly Inhibits Cell Proliferation Via Direct Negative Regulation of FST Gene Expression

The study "STAT3 Partly Inhibits Cell Proliferation via Direct Negative Regulation of FST Gene Expression" found that the STAT3 protein negatively regulates the FST gene, which is involved in hair follicle development and hair trait formation in sheep. This was demonstrated through various experimental methods, including a dual-luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, and cell proliferation assay. Overexpression of FST promoted cell proliferation, while overexpression of STAT3 showed the opposite effect. The study suggests that STAT3 could potentially be used as a therapeutic target for diseases characterized by abnormal cell proliferation. However, the study acknowledges limitations such as the use of cell lines not derived from hair follicles and the lack of in vivo testing. Future research is needed to validate these findings in a live sheep model.