ArticleScientific reports2026
IL-11-IL6ST-STAT3 signaling defines a convergent inflammatory axis in esophageal cancer subtypes.
Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by poor survival outcomes and strong links to chronic inflammatory signaling. Interleukin-11 (IL-11) has emerged as a cytokine of interest in tumorigenesis and therapy resistance. This study investigated the expression, prognostic implications and functional relevance of IL-11 signaling in EC. IL-11 pathway components were analyzed in 50 surgically resected EC and adjacent normal tissues using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Histological subtype-stratified analyses were performed for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Functional assays in KYSE-410 cells evaluated the effect of IL-11 neutralization on viability, migration, and pathway activation. RNA-sequencing, reverse-phase protein array (RPPA), clinical, and survival data from the TCGA-ESCA cohort were analyzed to validate pathway activation and prognostic associations. Additionally, murine RNA-sequencing datasets following anti-IL-11 or anti-IL-11 receptor treatment were examined to assess downstream transcriptional effects. IL-11, COX-2, and STAT3 mRNA levels were significantly upregulated in tumors compared with matched normal epithelium (p < 0.05) accompanied by increased nuclear phosphorylation of STAT3 (Tyr705). TCGA analyses confirmed elevated expression of IL-11 pathway components in EC. Elevated IL11 expression showed a trend toward reduced overall survival and was significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival. While IL11, STAT3, and PTGS2 expression did not differ significantly between EAC and ESCC, receptor-level signaling components IL6ST (gp130) and JAK1 were significantly higher in EAC, with RPPA data demonstrating increased pSTAT3 (Tyr705) and e-cadherin levels in this subtype. Downstream transcriptional analyses revealed subtype-specific STAT3 programs, with proliferation and invasion genes enriched in ESCC and survival-associated mediators elevated in EAC. Neutralization of IL11 significantly reduced cell viability (IC50 = 1 µg/mL), impaired migration, and suppressed pSTAT3 activation. These findings identify the IL-11/IL6ST/JAK1/STAT3/COX-2 axis as a central inflammatory signaling pathway in esophageal cancer. Although ligand expression is comparable across subtypes, receptor-level signaling in EAC suggests pathway sensitization rather than ligand abundance as a key determinant of signaling intensity. Functional inhibition of IL-11 attenuates tumor-promoting phenotypes, supporting IL-11 signaling as a biologically relevant and potentially pan-histologic therapeutic target in esophageal cancer.
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