Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS-3) protects beta -cells against interleukin-1beta - and interferon-gamma -mediated toxicity.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS-3) is a negative feedback regulator of IFN-gamma signaling, shown up-regulated in mouse bone marrow cells by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and IFN-gamma. IL-1beta and IFN-gamma alone, or potentiated by TNF-alpha, are cytotoxic to the insulin producing pancreatic beta-cells and beta-cell lines in vitro and suggested to contribute to the specific beta-cell destruction in Type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Using a doxycycline-inducible SOCS-3 expression system in the rat beta-cell line INS-1, we demonstrate that the toxic effect of both IL-1beta or IFN-gamma at concentrations that reduced the viability by 50% over 3 days, was fully preventable when SOCS-3 expression was turned on in the cells. At cytokine concentrations or combinations more toxic to the cells, SOCS-3 overexpression yielded a partial protection. Whereas SOCS-3-mediated inhibition of IFN-gamma signaling is described in other cell systems, SOCS-3 mediated inhibition of IL-1beta signaling has not previously been described. In addition we show that SOCS-3 prevention of IL-1beta-induced toxicity is accompanied by inhibited transcription of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by 80%, resulting in 60% decreased formation of the toxic nitric oxide (NO). Analysis of isolated native rat islets exposed to IL-1beta revealed a naturally occurring but delayed up-regulated SOCS-3 transcription. Influencing SOCS-3 expression thus represents an approach for affecting cytokine-induced signal transduction at a proximal step in the signal cascade, potentially useful in future therapies aimed at reducing the destructive potential of beta-cell cytotoxic cytokines in T1DM, as well as other cytokine-dependent diseases.