Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays important rol
es in the immune system, hematopoiesis, and acute phase reactions. Transfor
ming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) also has pleiotropy including the produc
tion of acute phase proteins in hepatocytes, To elucidate the cross-talk be
tween IL-6 and TGF-beta signaling pathways in hepatic cells, we investigate
d the effects of TGF-beta on IL-6-induced signal transducer and activator o
f transcription-3 (STAT3) activation in a human hepatoma cell line, Hep3B,
IL-6-induccd activation of STAT3 activity and STAT3-mediated gene expressio
n were augmented by TGF-beta in Hep3B cells, We provide evidence that these
activities were due to physical interactions between STAT3 and Sma- and MA
D-related protein-3, bridged by p300. These results demonstrate a molecular
mechanism of a cross-talk between STAT3 and TGF-beta signaling pathways in
hepatocytes, (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Publis
hed by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.