title: STAT3 is dispensable for maintenance of self-renewal in nonhuman primate embryonic stem cells.
abstract: The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/glycoprotein 130 (gp130)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway plays an essential role in the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. However, in primate ES cells, including those from humans and monkeys, LIF alone is not sufficient to maintain self-renewal. The precise role of the LIF/gp130/STAT3 pathway for self-renewal in primate ES cells is still unclear. In this study, we found that stimulation of cynomolgus monkey ES cells with LIF or interleukin (IL)-6/soluble IL-6 receptor leads to STAT3 phosphorylation, an effect seen previously in murine ES cells. Concomitant with this notion, nuclear translocalization and transcriptional activation of STAT3 were observed in a LIF-dependent manner. Moreover, the analysis of a dominant interfering mutant, STAT3F, showed that even though the phosphorylation, nuclear translocalization, and transcriptional activation of endogenous STAT3 after LIF stimulation were completely abrogated by over-expressing STAT3F in monkey ES cells, they continued to proliferate in an undifferentiated state, retaining their pluripotency. These results demonstrate that the LIF/gp130/STAT3 pathway functions in cynomolgus monkey ES cells but is not essential for the maintenance of self-renewal. They also suggest that cynomolgus monkey ES cells, unlike murine ES cells, are maintained in an undifferentiated state through LIF/gp130/STAT3-independent signaling.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Research Center, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakatsuji
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suemori
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494200:Il6st protein, mouse; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011506:Proteins; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130