Redundant promoter elements mediate IL-3-induced expression of a novel cytokine-inducible gene, cyclon.

Cytokines control cell differentiation, proliferation, and function by regulating gene expression program. Physiological roles and induction mechanisms of cytokine-inducible genes are not fully understood. Here, we identified a novel immediate-early cytokine-responsive gene, cyclon (cytokine-induced protein with coiled-coil domain), which is induced in a hematopoietic cell line by interleukin 3 (IL-3). cyclon gene encodes a phosphorylated nuclear protein consisting of repetitive sequences in the amino-terminus and a coiled-coil domain in the carboxyl-terminus. A novel transient reporter assay revealed that mouse cyclon promoter contains redundant elements for IL-3-induced gene expression.