1. Department of Dermatology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
2. ^*Division of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Correspondence: Kenshi Yamasaki, Department of Dermatology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Shigenobucho, Onsengun, Ehime 791-0295, Japan. Email: yamasaki@m.ehime-u.ac.jp

Received 8 May 2002; Revised 6 November 2002; Accepted 26 November 2002.

Abstract

The suppressor of cytokine signaling/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing proteins are cytokine inducible and are negative regulators of the signal transducers and activators of the transcription signaling pathway. We investigated the mechanism regulating signal transducers and activators of transcription and the suppressor of cytokine signaling/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein family in keratinocytes, one of the major target cells for cytokines. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 mRNA was upregulated 3 h post-interferon , and a 8.1-fold increase in the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 mRNA occurred 48 h post-interferon . The suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 mRNA was also upregulated from 1 h post-interferon , and a 6.7-fold increase in the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 3 mRNA occurred between 6 and 12 h post-interferon . Interleukin-6 exposure for 1 h enhanced the expression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 3 mRNA, but the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAB mRNA was not induced by interleukin-6. Interleukin-4 upregulated the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAB and cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 1 mRNA, with 3.4-fold and 5.1-fold increases in mRNA observed at 1 h post-interleukin-4, respectively. In contrast, epidermal growth factor, which phosphorylates signal transducers and activators of transcription 3, did not influence the level of the suppressor of cytokine signaling/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein family mRNA expression. Transfection of an adenovirus vector expressing the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAB completely inhibited interferon -dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 phosphorylation and interleukin-4-dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 phosphorylation. Transfection of adenovirus vector expressing the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAB did not inhibit interleukin-6-dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 phosphorylation—several reports show that the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAB is a potent inhibitor of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 signaling in the myeloid leukemia M1 cell. Transfection of the adenovirus vector expressing suppressor of cytokine signaling 3/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 3 completely inhibited interleukin-6-dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 phosphorylation and partially inhibited interferon -dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 phosphorylation. Transfection of the adenovirus vector expressing suppressor of cytokine signaling 3/cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 3, however, did not inhibit interleukin-4-dependent signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 phosphorylation. Transfection of the adenovirus vector expressing cytokine-inducible SH2 containing protein 1 had no effect on signal transducers and activators of transcription 1, 3, and 6 signaling in normal keratinocytes. Therefore, the relationship between signal transducers and activators of transcription and suppressor of cytokine signaling is unique in the keratinocytes, and the suppressor of cytokine signaling regulates cytokine signals in these cells.