Premium
Homodimerization of IL‐2 receptor β chain is necessary and sufficient to activate Jak2 and dowstream signaling pathways
Author(s) -
Ferrag Fatima,
Pezet Alain,
Chiarenza Andrea,
Buteau Hélène,
Nelson Brad H,
Goffin Vincent,
Kelly P.A
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(97)01529-9
Subject(s) - signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , receptor , biochemistry , biology
Cytokine receptor signaling involves the Jak/Stat pathways. Heterotrimeric IL‐2R (α, β, γ c chains) activates Jak1 and Jak3, whereas homodimeric PRLR activates Jak2. The requirements directing such specificity of Jak activation are unknown. We show that chimeric receptors containing the intracellular domain of IL‐2Rβ chain fused to the extracellular domain of either EPOR or Kit, a non‐cytokine receptor, activate Jak2. This observation provides evidence that IL‐2Rβ intrinsically possesses the ability to activate Jak2, but that this property is only displayed in homodimerized complexes. Our data suggest a role for the stoichiometry of cytokine receptors in selective activation of Janus kinases.