Role of common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gamma(c))- and Jak3-dependent signaling in the proliferation and survival of murine mast cells

Abstract

The regulatory roles of the common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gamma(c))- and Jak3-dependent signaling in the proliferation and survival of mast cells were determined using gamma(c)-deficient (gamma(c)(-)) and Jak3-deficient (Jak3(-)) mice. Although the mast cells in gamma(c)(-) and Jak3(-) mice were morphologically indistinguishable from those in wild-type mice, the number of peritoneal mast cells was decreased in gamma(c)(-) and Jak3(-) mice as compared with that in wild-type mice. Among gamma(c)-related cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-9, but not IL-2, IL-7, or IL-15, enhanced the proliferation and survival of bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) from wild-type mice. However, the effects of IL-4 and IL-9 were absent in BMMCs from gamma(c)(-) and Jak3(-) mice. In addition, IL-4Ralpha, gamma(c), and Jak3, but not IL-2Rbeta or IL-7Ralpha, were expressed in BMMCs. In contrast, IL-13 did not significantly induce the proliferation and survival of BMMCs even from wild-type mice, and IL-13Ralpha1 was not expressed in BMMCs. Furthermore, IL-4 phosphorylated the 65-kd isoform of Stat6 in BMMCs from wild-type mice but not from gamma(c)(-) and Jak3(-) mice. These results indicate that gamma(c)- and Jak3-dependent signaling is essential for IL-4- and IL-9-induced proliferation and survival of murine mast cells, that the effects of IL-4 are mediated by type I IL-4R and that type II IL-4R is absent on mast cells, and that IL-4 phosphorylates the 65-kd isoform of Stat6 in mast cells in a gamma(c)- and Jak3-dependent manner.