Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is the main mediator of interleukin 6 (IL-6)-type cytokine signaling. It exists in two isoforms: the full-length STAT3 and the truncated STAT3, generally thought to act as a dominant negative factor. To assess their relative functions, we ablated the expression of either isoform by gene targeting. We show here that in vivo STAT3 is not a dominant negative factor. Its expression can rescue the embryonic lethality of a STAT3-null mutation and it can by itself induce the expression of specific STAT3 target genes. Nevertheless, STAT3 has nonredundant roles such as modulation of cellular responses to IL-6 and mediation of IL-10 function in macrophages.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 401-409 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Nature Immunology |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Apr 2004 |
Keywords
- IL-10 GENE
- GENE-EXPRESSION
- TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR
- NEGATIVE REGULATOR
- STAT3-DEFICIENT MICE
- ACUTE-PHASE RESPONSE
- SIGNAL TRANSDUCER
- C-JUN
- CHRONIC ENTEROCOLITIS
- IN-VIVO