Expression of "suppressor of cytokine signalling" (SOCS) genes in the developing and adult mouse nervous system

Growth factor and cytokine signalling in the developing nervous system has multiple effects, ranging from cell differentiation and cell survival to mo dulation of cell phenotype. Molecules that can regulate growth factor signa lling pathways will therefore be of importance iu determining the cellular response to factor stimulation. Members of a recently described gene family , the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) family, can regulate signall ing events downstream of predominantly cytokine stimulation and may have im portant roles in the nervous system. We have examined the temporal and spat ial expression of SOCS-1, SOCS-2, and SOCS-3 in the developing and adult ne rvous system by use of Northern analysis and in situ hybridisation. All thr ee genes were expressed in the brain, with maximal expression from embryoni c day 14 to postnatal day 8 and declining thereafter, with SOCS-2 being the most highly expressed. In situ hybridisation analysis showed that SOCS-1 a nd SOCS-3 had a low and widespread pattern of expression, whereas SOCS-2 ex pression was higher and tightly regulated. Its expression pattern indicated that SOCS-2 was expressed exclusively in neurons and that it was switched on developmentally at the time of neuronal differentiation. J. Comp. Neurol . 423:348-358, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.