Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and oncostatin M (OSM) induce DNA synthesis in Swiss 3T3 cells through common signaling mechanism(s), whereas other related cytokines such as interleukin-6 and ciliary neurotrophic factor do not cause this response. Induction of DNA replication by LIF or prostaglandin F 2␣ (PGF 2␣ ) occurs, in part, through different signaling events. LIF and OSM specifically trigger STAT1 cytoplasmic to nuclear translocation, whereas PGF 2␣ fails to do so. However, LIF and PGF 2␣ can trigger increases in ERK1/2 activity, which are required for their mitogenic responses because U0126, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, prevents both ERK1/2 activation and induction of DNA synthesis by LIF or PGF 2␣ treatment. PGF 2␣ induces cyclin D expression and full phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein. In contrast, LIF fails to promote increases in cyclin D mRNA/protein levels; consequently, LIF induces DNA synthesis without promoting full phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb). However, both LIF and PGF 2␣ increase cyclin E expression. Furthermore, LIF mitogenic action does not involve protein kinase C (PKC) activation, because a PKC inhibitor does not block this effect. In contrast, PKC activity is required for PGF 2␣ mitogenic action. More importantly, the synergistic effect between LIF and PGF 2␣ to promote S phase entry is independent of PKC activation. These results show fundamental differences between LIF-and PGF 2␣ -dependent mechanism(s) that induce cellular entry into S phase. These findings are critical in understanding how LIF and other related cytokine-regulated events participate in normal cell cycle control and may also provide clues to unravel crucial processes underlying cancerous cell division.
Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)5 belongs to a closely related group of cytokines, which includes oncostatin M (OSM), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and cardiotrophin-1 (1-4).Depending on the cell type, LIF promotes cellular proliferation or differentiation, e.g. embryonic stem cell growth (5, 6), mammalian embryo implantation (2, 4), neuronal differentiation (7, 8), enhancing survival of peripheral neurons (7) and oligodendrocytes (10), promoting bone formation (11), and myoblast proliferation (12)(13)(14). LIF is also implicated in a variety of pathophysiological processes (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). Cellular responses to LIF as well as to other cytokines are initiated via heterodimerization of two members of the cytokine receptor family (8,20,21). The resultant signal transduction process involves activation of cytoplasmic Janus kinases (8, 20, 21), which in turn promote tyrosine phosphorylation of the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), thereby enabling them to translocate to the nucleus and initiate gene transcription of LIF-responsive genes (22). LIF can also trigger alternative signaling processes to those causing STAT activation (23). These include activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, including the mitogen-activated protei...