SOCS3在乳腺癌中的研究进展

细胞因子信号抑制因子(suppressor of cytokine signaling,SOCS)是一类对细胞因子、生长因子等信号作出应答的蛋白。这类蛋白能够通过负反馈调节JAK/STAT信号通路来减弱细胞因子信号的转导。SOCS3即为一个十分有代表性的SOCS家族蛋白。大量研究表明,风湿性关节炎、糖尿病及肿瘤等疾病的发生往往同SOCS3的异常表达有着密切联系。在乳腺癌中,SOCS3能够调控肿瘤细胞的干性、转移、侵袭、耐药性等。因此,SOCS3表达的正常与否同乳腺癌病人的愈后状况在很大程度上也具有相关性。基于SOCS3同乳腺癌发生发展间的联系,本综述将对SOCS3的基本结构、分子功能及近年来该蛋白在乳腺癌中的相关研究进行简要总结。     

鲤鱼SOCS-4基因克隆、鉴定及表达模式分析

细胞因子是调节机体免疫和神经内分泌功能的生物活性物质,其信号的激发、放大和持续在时间和空间上都受到严格调控。细胞因子信号传导抑制因子(Suppressorof cytokine signaling,SOCS)是细胞因子信号通路的负调节因子,通过负反馈抑制细胞因子的信号传递,防止过度的信号反应干扰机体代谢平衡和细胞功能。在哺乳动物中,SOCS系统对生长激素(GH)、表皮生长因子     

SOCS超甲基化与肿瘤发生

细胞因子信号转导抑制分子(suppressor of cytokine signaling,SOCS)是一类在细胞信号转导过程中发挥重要作用的负调控因子,可抑制多种细胞因子的信号转导,从而实现对体内多种免疫反应的调控作用.近年来研究发现,SOCS启动子区域内CpG岛的超甲基化导致的基因转录沉默与多种肿瘤的发生密切相关.SOCS蛋白作为信号转导途径的负调节物,代表着一类肿瘤抑制基因,成为治疗肿瘤的新靶标.     

SOCS家族在中枢神经系统的研究进展

细胞因子信号抑制因子（SOCS）家族是一类对细胞因子信号通路具有负反馈调节作用的蛋白分子,参与多种细胞因子、生长因子和激素的信号调节。细胞因子对中枢神经系统中的各种生物效应具有广泛多样的调节作用,SOCS家族的许多成员在发育时期和成年的脑内均有表达,SOCS家族不仅与细胞因子信号调节及中枢神经系统多种功能的调节密切相关,而且可能是神经发育和分化的重要调控因子,并参与神经免疫内分泌调节。本文综述了SOCS家族的发现、结构特点、脑内分布以及在中枢神经系统中的功能等方面的研究进展。     

SOCS家族蛋白在病毒感染中发挥的作用

SOCS(Suppressor of cytokine signaling),是一种细胞因子信号通路抑制蛋白,目前认为该蛋白家族可以调节LIF(Leukemia inhibitory factor)、G-CSF(Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor)、IL-6(Interleukin-6)、IL-10(Interleukin-10)、IFN-λ(interferon-λ)等30多种细胞因子,而这些因子是机体抵抗入侵的外来病原体的主要免疫防御反应。病毒在感染宿主的过程中通过劫持宿主中的SOCS蛋白,从而对细胞中的JAK/STAT、NF-κB等与抗病毒因子调控相关的信号通路以及对T细胞的分化的调控调节病毒感染。近年来,大量的文献证实SOCS蛋白的变化与病毒感染的程度以及愈后的器官损伤具有紧密的联系,使得SOCS蛋白作为抗病毒靶点的研究尤为重要。本文主要讨论SOCS蛋白通过调控JAK-STAT、NF-κB等信号通路,在病毒感染过程中发挥的作用和作用机制。     

SOCS3在病理性疼痛中的作用

细胞因子信号传导抑制因子3(SOCS3)是细胞因子信号传导抑制因子蛋白质家族(SOCS)的一员。SOCS3是一种重要的细胞内蛋白质,在体内负调控细胞因子介导的信号通路,参与机体免疫、生长、造血、新陈代谢及肿瘤增殖等各种关键过程。近年的研究发现,SOCS3参与疼痛的调控,在神经病理性疼痛、炎性疼痛等多种类型疼痛及吗啡耐受中发生表达的变化。在坐骨神经慢性压迫损伤(CCI)模型中,磷酸二聚化的STAT3转移到细胞核内诱导脊髓背角SOCS3表达增加,在完全弗氏佐剂(CFA)炎性疼痛大鼠中,下丘脑室旁核(PVN)内SOCS3在急性期蛋白质表达水平增加、其慢性期表达下降,在骨癌疼痛大鼠腰2～5背根神经节(DRG)中SOCS3蛋白质水平显著下降。鞘内注射SOCS3慢病毒载体、阿司匹林触发的脂蛋白A4(ATL)和芍药苷,或通过抑制非编码RNA表达降低非编码RNA对SOCS3的抑制作用,能够增加SOCS3表达发挥镇痛作用。SOCS3通过抑制Janus激酶/信号转导子和转录激活子3(JAK/STAT3)信号通路及下游基因的表达,阻碍白细胞介素-1(IL-1)、IL-6和肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)等多种炎...     

SOCS1与肿瘤发生、发展和治疗的研究进展

SOCS1是细胞因子信号转导抑制因子(SOCS)蛋白家族的重要成员,近年来随着对SOCS1研究的深入,它的各种功能逐渐被发现。SOCS1的作用机制复杂,可以被体内多种细胞因子诱导,然后抑制下游的细胞因子和生长因子受体信号活化。SOCS1参与了体内多种急慢性炎症反应、先天性及获得性免疫反应、激素的调节以及多种肿瘤的生成和发展等,尤其是它与肿瘤的关系成为近期研究的热点。SOCS1基因目前被认为是一种新的抑癌基因,研究表明SOCS1基因甲基化、突变以及缺失导致的SOCS1表达减少在肿瘤的形成、发展过程中起重要作用。近年来对于恢复SOCS1的表达可以用来治疗肿瘤方面的研究逐渐增多,有些方法已经应用于临床,而且取得了一定的成果。本文就近年来SOCS1在肿瘤领域中的研究进展进行了综述。     

SOCS-1基因与宫颈癌关系的研究新进展

SOCS-1基因定位在染色体16p13.3,编码的SOCS-1蛋白是细胞因子信号转导抑制因子(SOCS)家族的成员之一,最初研究认为SOCS-1主要通过对JAK/STAT信号通路的负性调节从而对多种细胞因子、激素的进行调节,近来有研究表明SOCS-1同样能下调TLR信号通路的活性.细胞因子及TLR信号通路在细胞的生长、成熟、分化及机体的免疫调节中发挥了重要的作用.在多种恶性肿瘤中研究显示SOCS-1呈现基因广泛甲基化及蛋白表达缺失,致JAK/STAT通路的持续活化,与肿瘤的发生发展有关,提示SOCS-1的作用类似于抑癌基因,而在一些肿瘤中则见SOCS-1的高表达,SOCS-1在肿瘤中的作用机制仍存在争议.近年来SOCS-1在宫颈癌中的作用得到重视,但其作用机制尚未明确.而HPV感染可能促进了SOCS-1基因的异常表达,SOCS-1的沉默在宫颈癌的发生发展中可能发挥了重要作用.     

Inhibition of microRNA let-7i depresses maturation and functional state of dendritic cells in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation via targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 1

Dendritic cells (DCs) can initiate immune responses or confer immune tolerance depending on functional status. LPS-induced DC maturation is defined by enhanced surface expression of CD80 and CD86. MicroRNAs are critical for the regulation of DC function and immunity, and the microRNA let-7i was upregulated during LPS-induced DC maturation. Downregulation of let-7i significantly impeded DC maturation as evidenced by reduced CD80 and CD86 expression. DCs stimulated by LPS promoted T cell proliferation in coculture, whereas LPS-stimulated DCs with downregulated let-7i were not effective at stimulating T cell proliferation but promoted expansion of the regulatory T cell (Treg) population. There were two subpopulations of LPS-stimulated DCs with downregulated let-7i, CD86(-) and CD86(+), and it was the CD86(-) DCs that were more effective in inducing T cell hyporesponsiveness and enhancing Treg numbers, indicating that this DC population had tolerogenic properties. Furthermore, Tregs with upregulated IL-10 underscored the tolerogenic effect of CD86(-) DCs. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), a crucial mediator of DC maturation, was confirmed as a let-7i target gene by luciferase construct assay. Suppression or overexpression of let-7i caused reciprocal alterations in SOCS1 protein expression, but had no significant effects on SOCS1 mRNA levels, indicating that let-7i regulated SOCS1 expression by translational suppression. The modulation of SOCS1 protein by let-7i was mainly restricted to CD86(-) DCs. Our study demonstrates that let-7i regulation of SOCS1 is critical for LPS-induced DC maturation and immune function. Dynamic regulation of let-7i may fine-tune immune responses by inducing Ag-specific immune tolerance.     

Induction of hyper Th1 cell-type immune responses by dendritic cells lacking the suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 gene

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS1/JAB) has been shown to play an important role in regulating dendritic cell (DC) function and suppressing inflammatory diseases and systemic autoimmunity. However, role of SOCS1 in DCs for the initiation of Th cell response has not been clarified. Here we demonstrate that SOCS1-deficient DCs induce stronger Th1-type responses both in vitro and in vivo. SOCS1-deficient DCs induced higher IFN-gamma production from naive T cells than wild-type (WT) DCs in vitro. Lymph node T cells also produced a higher amount of IFN-gamma when SOCS1-deficient bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were transferred in vivo. Moreover, SOCS1(-/-) BMDCs raised more effective anti-tumor immunity than WT BMDCs. Microarray analysis revealed that IFN-inducible genes were highly expressed in SOCS1-deficient DCs without IFN stimulation, suggesting hyper STAT1 activation in SOCS1(-/-) DCs. These phenotypes of SOCS1-deficient DCs were similar to those of CD8alpha(+) DCs, and in the WT spleen, SOCS1 is expressed at higher levels in the Th2-inducing CD4(+) DC subset, relative to the Th1-inducing CD8alpha(+) DC subset. We propose that reduction of the SOCS1 gene expression in DCs leads to CD8alpha(+) DC-like phenotype which promotes Th1-type hyperresponses.     

Dendritic cell maturation requires STAT1 and is under feedback regulation by suppressors of cytokine signaling

In this study we show that activation of STAT pathways is developmentally regulated and plays a role in dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and maturation. The STAT6 signaling pathway is constitutively activated in immature DC (iDC) and declines as iDCs differentiate into mature DCs (mDCs). However, down-regulation of this pathway during DC differentiation is accompanied by dramatic induction of suppressors of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), SOCS2, SOCS3, and cytokine-induced Src homology 2-containing protein expression, suggesting that inhibition of STAT6 signaling may be required for DC maturation. In contrast, STAT1 signaling is most robust in mDCs and is not inhibited by the up-regulated SOCS proteins, indicating that STAT1 and STAT6 pathways are distinctly regulated in maturing DC. Furthermore, optimal activation of STAT1 during DC maturation requires both IL-4 and GM-CSF, suggesting that synergistic effects of both cytokines may in part provide the requisite STAT1 signaling intensity for DC maturation. Analyses of STAT1(-/-) DCs reveal a role for STAT1 in repressing CD86 expression in precursor DCs and up-regulating CD40, CD11c, and SOCS1 expression in mDCs. We further show that SOCS proteins are differentially induced by IL-4 and GM-CSF in DCs. SOCS1 is primarily induced by IL-4 through a STAT1-dependent mechanism, whereas SOCS3 is induced mainly by GM-CSF. Taken together, these results suggest that cytokine-induced maturation of DCs is under feedback regulation by SOCS proteins and that the switch from constitutive activation of the STAT6 pathway in iDCs to predominant use of STAT1 signals in mDC is mediated in part by STAT1-induced SOCS expression.     

A Super TLR Agonist to Improve Efficacy of Dendritic Cell Vaccine in Induction of Anti-HCV Immunity

Persistent infections caused by pathogens such as hepatitis C virus are major human diseases with limited or suboptimal prophylactic and therapeutic options. Given the critical role of dendritic cell (DC) in inducing immune responses, DC vaccination is an attractive means to prevent and control the occurrence and persistence of the infections. However, DCs are built-in with inherent negative regulation mechanisms which attenuate their immune stimulatory activity and lead to their ineffectiveness in clinical application. In this study, we developed a super DC stimulant that consists of a modified, secretory Toll-like Receptor (TLR)-5 ligand and an inhibitor of the negative regulator, suppressor of cytokine sinaling-1 (SOCS1). We found that expressing the super stimulant in DCs is drastically more potent and persistent than using the commonly used DC stimuli to enhance the level and duration of inflammatory cytokine production by both murine and human DCs. Moreover, the DCs expressing the super stimulant are more potent to provoke both cellular and humoral immune responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen in vivo. Thus, the strategy capable of triggering and sustaining proinflammatory status of DCs may be used to boost efficiency of DC vaccine in preventing and combating the persistent infection of HCV or other chronic viruses.     

Suppressors of cytokine signaling inhibit effector T cell responses during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Protective immune responses during Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection are regulated at multiple levels and critically dependent on the balance in the secretion of pro-inflammatory and regulatory cytokines. A key factor that governs this balance at the cellular level is suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS). We recently demonstrated that toll-like receptor 2 and dendritic cell (DC)-SIGNR1 differentially regulate SOCS1 expression in DCs during M. tuberculosis infection. This consecutively regulated IL-12 production and determined M. tuberculosis survival. In this study, we characterized the role of SOCS1 in regulating effector responses from CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells during M. tuberculosis infection. Our data indicate that T cells from M. tuberculosis-infected mice show increased and differential association of SOCS1 with CD3 and CD28, when compared with uninfected mice. While SOCS1 displays increased association with CD3 than CD28 in CD4(+) T cells; SOCS1 is associated more with CD28 than CD3 in CD8(+) T cells. Further, SOCS1 shows increased association with IL-12 and IL-2 receptors in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from infected mice when compared with naive mice. Silencing SOCS1 in T cells increased signal transduction from T cell receptor (TCR) and CD28 with enhanced activation of key signaling molecules and proliferation. Significantly, SOCS1-silenced T cells mediated enhanced clearance of M. tuberculosis inside macrophages. Finally, adoptive transfer of SOCS1-silenced T cells in M. tuberculosis-infected mice mediated significant reduction in M. tuberculosis loads in spleen. These results exemplify the negative role played by SOCS1 during T cell priming and effector functions during M. tuberculosis infection.     

Induction of CML28-specific cytotoxic T cell responses using co-transfected dendritic cells with CML28 DNA vaccine and SOCS1 small interfering RNA expression vector

CML28 is an attractive target for antigen-specific immunotherapy. SOCS1 represents an inhibitory control mechanism for DC antigen presentation and the magnitude of adaptive immunity. In this study, we evaluated the potential for inducing CML28-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) responses by dendritic cells (DCs)-based vaccination. We constructed a CML28 DNA vaccine and a SOCS1 siRNA vector and then cotransfect monocyte-derived DCs. Flow cytometry analysis showed gene silencing of SOCS1 resulted in higher expressions of costimulative moleculars in DCs. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) indicated downregulation of SOCS1 stronger capability to stimulate proliferation of responder cell in DCs. The CTL assay revealed transfected DCs effectively induced autologous CML28-specific CTL responses and the lytic activities induced by SOCS1-silenced DCs were significantly higher compared with those induced by SOCS1-expressing DCs. These results in our study indicates gene silencing of SOCS1 remarkably enhanced the cytotoxicity efficiency of CML28 DNA vaccine in DCs.     

Immunosuppressant triptolide inhibits dendritic cell-mediated chemoattraction of neutrophils and T cells through inhibiting Stat3 phosphorylation and NF-kappaB activation

Triptolide, an active component purified from the medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F., is potent in anti-inflammation and immunosuppression. Dendritic cells (DC), one of important targets of immunosuppressants, play crucial roles in linking the innate immunity and adaptive immunity. However, the effects of triptolide on DC have not been fully elucidated. Chemoattraction of neutrophils and T cells by DC may favor their interactions and initiation of immune response. Here we demonstrate that triptolide significantly impairs DC-mediated chemoattraction of neutrophils and T cells both in vitro and in vivo by suppressing DC production of CC and CXC chemokines including MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, MCP-1, RANTES, TARC, and IP-10 in response to LPS. Furthermore, triptolide-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB activation, Stat3 phosphorylation and increase of SOCS1 expression in DC may be involved in the inhibitory effect of triptolide. Our study provides a novel mechanistic explanation for the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities of triptolide.