A novel nuclear zinc finger protein EZI enhances nuclear retention and transactivation of STAT3.

A novel cDNA EZI isolated as an oncostatin M- inducible gene encoded a protein containing 12 C2H2-type zinc fingers. EZI was found to transactivate the promoters that are also responsive to STAT3 and activated the acute phase response element (APRE) synergistically with STAT3. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated the association of EZI with STAT3, which was mediated by the N-terminal region (1-183) of EZI. The EZI mutant lacking this region showed reduced transcriptional activity, indicating that EZI and STAT3 function cooperatively through physical interaction. While EZI predominantly localized in the nucleus and enhanced the nuclear localization of STAT3, the EZI mutant lacking 11 zinc finger motifs failed to translocate into the nucleus and also inhibited nuclear localization of STAT3 as well as STAT3-mediated transactivation. These results indicate that EZI is a novel nuclear zinc finger protein that augments STAT3 activity by keeping it in the nucleus.