title: Stat4, a novel gamma interferon activation site-binding protein expressed in early myeloid differentiation.
abstract: Interferon regulation of gene expression is dependent on the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the DNA-binding activity of two related proteins of 91 kDa (STAT1) and/or 113 kDa (STAT2). Recent studies have suggested that these proteins are substrates of Janus kinases and that proteins related in STAT1 are involved in a number of signalling pathways, including those activated in myeloid cells by erythropoietin and interleukin-3 (IL-3). To clone STAT-related proteins from myeloid cells, degenerate oligonucleotides were used in PCRs to identify novel family members expressed in myeloid cells. This approach allowed the identification and cloning of the Stat4 gene, which is 52% identical to STAT1. Unlike STAT1, Stat4 expression is restricted but includes myeloid cells and spermatogonia. In the erythroid lineage, Stat4 expression is differentially regulated during differentiation. Functionally, Stat4 has the properties of other STAT family genes. In particular, cotransfection of expression constructs for Stat4 and Jak1 and Jak2 results in the tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat4 and the acquisition of the ability to bind to the gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-activated sequence of the interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) gene. Stat4 is located on mouse chromosome 1 and is tightly linked to the Stat1 gene, suggesting that the genes arose by gene duplication. Unlike Stat1, neither IFN-alpha nor IFN-gamma activates Stat4. Nor is Stat4 activated in myeloid cells by a number of cytokines, including erythropoietin, IL-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, colon-stimulating factor 1, hepatocyte growth factor, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Quelle
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Thierfelder
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kreider
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Silvennoinen
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ihle
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009115:Muridae; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D009928:Organ Specificity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; C494091:Stat4 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators