[Function, molecular structure and gene expression regulation of receptor for D-factor/LIF]

Abstract

Differentiation-stimulating factor (D-factor)/leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine inducing differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemic M1 cells. IL-6, oncostatin M (OSM) and G-CSF also induce differentiation of M1 cells. These four cytokines are suggested to be members of a single cytokine family. The LIF receptor is structurally related to the gp130 signal-transducing component of the IL-6 receptor and to the G-CSF receptor. The high-affinity receptors for LIF, OSM and IL-6 share the common subunit, gp130. This provides an explanation for the functional redundancy of those cytokines.