The STAT3 isoforms [alpha] and [beta] have unique and specific functions

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 alpha and the truncated STAT3 beta, generally thought to act as a dominant negative factor. To assess their relative funct...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNature immunology Vol. 5; no. 4; p. 401
Main Authors Maritano, Diego, Sugrue, Michelle L, Tininini, Silvia, Dewilde, Sarah, Strobl, Birgit, Fu, XinPing, Murray-Tait, Victoria, Chiarle, Roberto, Poli, Valeria
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York Nature Publishing Group 01.04.2004
Subjects
Mutation
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Summary: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 alpha and the truncated STAT3 beta, 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 beta 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 alpha has nonredundant roles such as modulation of cellular responses to IL-6 and mediation of IL-10 function in macrophages.
ISSN:1529-2908
1529-2916
DOI:10.1038/ni1052