Protein tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of primary response genes by interleukin 11 in B9-TY1 cells

Interleukin (IL) 11 is a multifunctional cytokine derived from bone marrow stromal cells. To understand the mechanisms by which IL-11 exerts its pleiotropic actions, we have analyzed IL-11-mediated signal transduction pathways in IL-11-dependent B9-TY1, which is a subclone of an IL-6-dependent B-cell hybridoma, B9. IL-11 stimulation of B9-TY1 cells resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of a 97/95 kilodalton cellular protein in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect was inhibited by tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A, but not by a serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, H7. We next examined the early nuclear events in the IL-11-triggered intracellular signaling cascade. The data showed that tis11, tis21, and junB early response genes were rapidly activated following IL-11 treatment. The kinetic studies indicated that activation of tis11 and junB genes peaked at 30-60 min and then declined slowly afterward. The tis21 gene was constitutively expressed, and the level of tis21 mRNA was significantly increased and maintained at the elevated level following IL-11 stimulation. Inhibitor studies with genistein, herbimycin A, and H7 revealed that tyrosine kinases and H7-sensitive serine/threonine kinases are required for the IL-11-mediated activation of tis11, tis21, and junB genes. Using a variety of known protein kinase inhibitors or activators, we have demonstrated that H7-sensitive protein kinases activated by IL-11 are distinct from those of well-characterized protein kinase-second messenger systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)