Interleukin (IL)-11--mediated signal transduction.

IL-11 is a multifunctional cytokine biologically related to IL-6, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), oncostatin M (OSM) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). It has been shown that these cytokines can utilize common signal transducer, gp130. We have demonstrated that Jak tyrosine kinases, MAP kinases and pp90rsk are highly activated by IL-11 and related cytokines. In addition, we have identified pp90rsk as one of the H7 sensitive protein kinases critical for primary response gene expression induced by IL-11. Furthermore, activation of 3CH134 (a MAP kinase phosphatase) gene by IL-11 suggested that a MAP kinase phosphatase may be involved in IL-11-mediated signal transduction. Our data also suggested that tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat91 and related transcriptional factors is involved in IL-11 signaling but is not sufficient for the activation of primary response genes such as JunB, tis11, tis8 and MAP kinase phosphatase in mouse preadipocytes. The understanding of signal transduction pathways mediated by IL-11 and related cytokines may help to define the common and unique biological properties of these growth factors.