Cutting edge: SOCS-1 is a potent inhibitor of IL-4 signal transduction

IL-4 is an important regulator of the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of many hematopoetic cells. Many of these biological effects result from the activation of Janus kinases (JAK)1 and JAK3 and the transcription factor Stat6. Recent data suggest that members of the SOCS (suppressor of cytokine signaling) family of proteins can inhibit JAK-STAT signaling. We have examined the ability of SOCS family members to suppress IL-4 signaling, and we have found that SOCS-1 potently inhibits the activation of JAK1 kinase and Stat6 in response to IL-4. Furthermore, SOCS-1 can inhibit the induction of CD23 expression by IL-4. SOCS-2 does not inhibit induction of signaling by IL-4, while inhibition of IL-4 signaling by SOCS-3 can be detected in transient transfection systems, but not in stable cell lines. These studies implicate SOCS-1 in modulation of IL-4 signaling and suggest that SOCS-1 may play a role in regulating the immune response.