The cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (Lif) sustains self-renewal of mouse embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells by activating Jak kinase and the transcription factor Stat3. Here we investigate whether Jak/Stat3 may also contribute to induction of pluripotency. EpiSCs derived from postimplantation embryos express low levels of Lif receptor and Stat3. We introduced into EpiSCs a Jak/Sta...

We describe a novel cytokine receptor named GP130 Like receptor, or GPL, that displays similarities with the interleukin-6 and interleukin-12 family of signaling receptors. Four different isoforms diverging in their carboxyl terminus were isolated, corresponding to proteins encompassing 560, 610, 626, and 745 amino acids. Sequences included a signal peptide of 32 amino acids, followed by a cyto...

The bioactive lysophospholipids lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) have diverse effects on the developing nervous system and neural progenitors, but the molecular basis for their pleiotropic effects is poorly understood. We previously defined LPA and S1P signaling in proliferating human neural progenitor (hNP) cells, and the current study investigates their role in ne...

The physiologic program of macrophage differentiation normally proceeds in a coordinated manner in response to several different growth factors. Although the utilization of common receptor subunits may explain in part overlapping biologic functions, mechanisms by which unique actions are mediated remain obscure. We examined growth factor-induced macrophage differentiation in M1 leukemia cells t...

BACKGROUND: The cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) mediates its biological effects through binding to its high affinity receptor made of the low-affinity LIF receptor subunit gp190 (LIF-R) and the gp130 subunit. LIF exerts several important effects in the liver, however, data on liver expression of LIF are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of LIF and LIF-R in hu...

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a 201 amino acid 1 member of the interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine superfamily, which includes leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), ciliary neurotrophic factor, IL-11, and oncostatin M.2 Cardiotrophin-1 was discovered by Pennica et al2 via expression cloning of mouse embryoid bodies, using a cardiac myocyte hypertrophy screen to identify positive clones. CT-1 has hypertrophic a...

Oncostatin M (OSM), a cytokine first identified from activated monocytes and T lymphocytes, is one of the most potent autocrine growth factor for AIDS and Kaposi's sarcoma. Little is known about the effects of OSM on normal vascular cells. We thus exposed human aortic smooth muscle cells (hASMCs) to OSM, examined cell proliferation and morphology, and determined interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cycloox...

The IL (interleukin)-6-type cytokines IL-6, IL-11, LIF (leukaemia inhibitory factor), OSM (oncostatin M), ciliary neurotrophic factor, cardiotrophin-1 and cardiotrophin-like cytokine are an important family of mediators involved in the regulation of the acute-phase response to injury and infection. Besides their functions in inflammation and the immune response, these cytokines play also a cruc...

BACKGROUND Broncho-Vaxom (OM-85 BV) is known to support respiratory tract resistance to bacterial infections. In vivo and in vitro studies in animals and humans have shown that the action of the drug is based on the modulation of the host immune response, and it has been found to upregulate interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-8. These immunomodulatory effects of th...

Bone formation and hematopoiesis are anatomically juxtaposed and share common regulatory mechanisms. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) contain a compartment that provides progeny with bone forming osteoblasts and fat laden adipocytes as well as fibroblasts, chondrocytes, and muscle cells. In addition, marrow MSC provide an environment for support of hematopoiesis, including the d...