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The role of STAT6 in mast cell IL‐4 production
Author(s) -
Sherman Melanie A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-065x.2001.790105.x
Subject(s) - stat6 , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , inflammation , mast cell , immune system , signal transduction , immunology , transcription factor , interleukin 33 , repressor , interleukin 4 , interleukin , cytokine , genetics , gene
Summary: Interleukin (IL)‐4 has an important role in regulating antibody production and inflammation. The major IL‐4 producers are CD4 + T cells, but the development of an IL‐4‐producing phenotype in these cells requires IL‐4 signaling through the STAT6 pathway during differentiation. The cellular source of this early IL‐4 is not known, but mast cells are a possible candidate due to their immediate and indiscriminate release of IL‐4 upon activation. In this review we summarize the evidence that STAT6 signaling is not required for mast cell IL‐4 production, which is consistent with their possible role as a link between the innate immune response and T‐cell activation. We also describe an isoform of STAT6 that is expressed in mast cells and that appears to act as a repressor of IL‐4 transcription. This STAT6 signaling pathway may be part of a feedback mechanism to protect surrounding tissues from IL‐4‐mediated inflammation during an infection. The author would like to thank Dr. Melissa Brown for her generous support, helpful discussions and critical review of the manuscript and Dr. Virginia Secor for her collaboration with this project. Drs. Andrew Neish, Jeremy Boss and S. Wright Caughman provided helpful comments. M.A.S. was a fellow of the Cancer Research Institute and this project is currently supported by the National Institutes of Health (KO1 AR 02157‐01).