The carboxyl-terminal domains of gp130-related cytokine receptors are necessary for suppressing embryonic stem cell differentiation - Involvement of STAT3

Cell type-specific responses to the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/interleukin 6 cytokine family are mediated by dimerization of the LIF receptor alpha-chain (LIFR alpha) with the signal transducer gp130 or of two gp130 molecules followed by activation of the JAK/STAT and Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades. In order to dissect the contribution of gp130 and LIFR alpha individually, chimeric molecules consisting of the extracellular domain of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor receptor (GCSF-R) and various mutant forms of the cytoplasmic domains of gp130 or LIFR alpha were expressed in embryonic stem (ES) cells to test for suppression of differentiation, or in a factor-dependent plasma cytoma cell line to assess for induction of proliferation. Carboxyl-terminal domains downstream of the phosphatase (SHP2)-binding sites were dispensable for mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and the transduction of proliferative signals. Moreover, carboxyl-terminal truncation mutants which lacked intact Box 3 homology domains showed decreased STAT3 activation, failed to induce Hck kinase activity and suppress ES cell differentiation. Moreover, STAT3 antisense oligonucleotides impaired LIF-dependent inhibition of differentiation. Substitution of the tyrosine residue within the Box 3 region of the GSCF-R abolished receptor-mediated suppression of differentiation without affecting the transduction of proliferative signals. Thus, distinct cytoplasmic domains within the LIFR alpha, gp130, and GCSF-R transduce proliferative and differentiation suppressing signals.