Role of Jak kinases and STATs in cytokine signal transduction.

ABSTRACT

The Janus family tyrosine kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) signaling pathway is broadly used by interferons and type I cytokines. These cytokines and interferons activate Janus family tyrosine kinases (Jak kinases), which in turn phosphorylate and thereby activate STAT proteins. Before activation, STAT proteins are cytosolic proteins; after activation, however, they are translocated to the nucleus where they function as transcription factors. This review summarizes salient features of the Jak-STAT pathway and focuses on the functional role of the different Jak kinases and STATs in vivo.