title: Multi-functional roles of Stat3 revealed by conditional gene targeting.
abstract: Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) is a family of transcription factors composed of seven members. Gene-targeted mice of each STAT family protein displayed defective responses to cytokines, demonstrating an important role in cytokine-mediated biological responses. However, unlike the mice lacking other STAT proteins, Stat3-deficient mice died during their early embryogenesis. Therefore, in an attempt to avoid the lethality and assess the role of Stat3 in cytokine-mediated functions in mouse adult tissues, conditional gene targeting utilizing a Cre-loxP system was achieved. By this method, Stat3 was disrupted in several types of tissue, including T cells, macrophages, skin, and mammary gland. Analyses of these Stat3-mutant mice revealed important roles of Stat3 in biological functions in each tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Host Defense, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan. ktakeda@biken.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators