Protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilonC selectively inhibits interleukin-6- and interleukin- 10-induced JAK-STAT signaling.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) epsilon (PTPepsilon) exists as 2 forms generated by alternative promoter usage. It has recently been reported that a cytosolic isoform of PTPepsilon (PTPepsilonC) when over-expressed in murine M1 myeloid cells inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6)- and leukemia inhibitory factor-induced activation of Janus kinases (JAKs), thereby suppressing STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation and STAT3 signaling. This study characterizes an inhibitory action of PTPepsilonC on IL-6 signaling and also reveals that PTPepsilonC inhibitory activity is independent of other potential negative regulators, such as SHP-2 and SOCS family proteins. Furthermore, it analyzes the selectivity of PTPepsilonC action toward several cytokines. On IL-6 stimulation, expression of PTPepsilonC-DA, a catalytically inactive mutant of PTPepsilonC, results in an earlier onset of STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting different modes of action between PTPepsilonC and other negative regulators. In addition, the study shows PTPepsilonC-DA enhances activation of STAT1 by IL-6 as well. In terms of specificity to cytokines, over-expressed PTPepsilonC also inhibits IL-10-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 in M1 cells, whereas PTPepsilonC does not affect either interferon-beta- and interferon-gamma-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STATs or expression of STAT transcriptional targets. Among cytokines tested, the inhibitory effect of PTPepsilonC is selective to IL-6- and IL-10-induced JAK-STAT signaling.