Furthermore, we found that STAT3-shRNA downregulated mRNA levels both of STAT3 and CD36 by 9 and 6-fold, respectively, and as a result, significantly reduced STAT3 and CD36 protein levels, confirming that STAT3 induces the expression of CD36 in CLL cells (Figure 2E). This evidence concerns the gene CD36 and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.