STAT3 and colorectal cancer: also confirmed that, in colorectal cancer (CAC) cell lines, activation of STAT3 by the inflammatory factor IL-6 might lead to upregulation of miR-29a-5p in epithelial and immune cells, as well as inhibition of the expression of the miR-29a-5p target gene TET3 (encoding Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 3), thereby inducing a decrease in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in epithelial cells.