Autoregulation of the Stat3 gene through cooperation with a cAMP-responsive element-binding protein

STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription (3) under bar) is a key transcription factor mediating the signals for a variety of cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), The Stat3 gene itself is activated by IL-6 signals, We show that the region of the signal-transducing subunit, gp130, essential for STAT3 activation, is also required for activation of the Stat3 gene. To elucidate the mechanisms activating the Stat3 gene, we identified an IL-6 response element (IL-6RE) in the Stat3 gene promoter containing both a low affinity STAT3-binding element and a cAMP-responsive element (CRE), Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that IL-6 induced a slowly migrating complex on the IL-6RE containing a STAT3 homodimer and an unidentified CRE-binding protein, With the combination of transient transfection assays using mutant Stat3 promoter-reporter constructs and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we found that the formation of a slowly migrating complex was required for full activation of the Stat3 gene. Thus, STAT3 activates the Stat3 gene in cooperation with an unidentified CRE-binding protein, This regulatory mechanism is similar to that of the junB gene, which is activated by IL-6 through the junB IL-6RE, which contains a low affinity STAT3-binding site and a CRE-like site.