STAT3 and periodontitis: Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins, particularly SOCS1 and SOCS3, are endogenous inhibitors of the JAK/STAT pathway.185 Studies using LPS-induced and ligature-induced periodontitis models have shown that SOCS3 expression correlates with the severity of inflammation and regulates STAT3 activity.185 These findings suggest that modulating SOCS proteins could provide a strategy to control periodontal inflammation and tissue destruction.