1. Volume 23, Issue 5, Pages 491-502 (November 2005)
IL-6-STAT3 Controls Intracellular MHC Class II αβ Dimer Level through Cathepsin S Activity in Dendritic Cells 
Hidemitsu Kitamura, Hokuto Kamon, Shin-ichiro Sawa, Sung-Joo Park, Nobuhiko Katunuma, Katsuhiko Ishihara, Masaaki Murakami, Toshio Hirano 
Immunity 
Volume 23, Issue 5, Pages (November 2005)
DOI: /j.immuni
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
IL-6-STAT3 Signaling Reduced Intracellular MHCII αβ Dimer Level in DCs
(A) Wild-type BMDCs were prepared and stimulated with IL-6 or IL-10. The BMDC lysates were separated by SDS-PAGE, and the SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer and α-tubulin were detected by Western blotting. We used the α-tubulin-blot as a standard and defined the nonstimulated controls as 100. The surface MHCII (I-Aβ) level was measured by FACS after IL-6 and IL-10 treatments. These experiments were performed at least three times independently, and representative data are shown.
(B) gp130WT/WT, gp130F759/F759, and gp130FxxQ/FxxQ BMDCs were generated and stimulated with IL-6. BMDC lysates were separated by SDS-PAGE, and SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer (MHCII) was detected by Western blotting. The MHCII αβ dimer levels were compared by defining the non-stimulated control as 100. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown. The relative protein level is shown with error bars indicating 1 SD. The P value was calculated by Student's t test.
(C) A dominant-negative form of STAT3 (DN-STAT3) was transduced into gp130F759/F759 BMDCs. MHCII αβ dimer in the BMDCs was detected by Western blotting. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown. The relative protein level is shown with error bars indicating 1 SD. The p value was calculated by Student's t test.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2
STAT3 Activation after IL-6 Treatment Decreased Not Only SDS Stable MHCII αβ Dimer Level but Also H2-DM and Invariant Chain Levels in DCs
(A) gp130F759/F759 BMDCs were generated and stimulated with IL-6. SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer, invariant chain (Ii), and H2-DM were detected by Western blotting. We defined the nonstimulated control as 100. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown. The relative protein level is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(B) DN-STAT3 was transduced into gp130F759/F759 BMDCs. Invariant chain (Ii) and H2-DM in the BMDCs were detected by Western blotting. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown. The relative protein level is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(C) Localization of MHCII (I-Aβ) and Lamp2 in gp130F759/F759 BMDCs was determined by confocal microscopy after IL-6 treatment. Profiles of four CD11c+ cells in one experimet were shown. A detailed colocalization analysis was performed with the top profiles (arrow heads) using TCS-SP2 (Leica). These experiments were performed five times independently, and representative data are shown.
(D) The time course of SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer and total MHCII (monomers) levels in gp130F759/F759 BMDCs was determined by a pulse and chase experiment after treatment with IL-6. These experiments were performed three times independently. The average SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer and total MHCII (monomers) levels are shown, with the dimer and total MHCII (monomers) levels in untreated samples defined as 100. The relative protein level is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

4. Figure 3
Two Cathepsin S Inhibitors Blocked IL-6-Mediated Reduction in MHCII αβ Dimer and H2-DM Levels in DCs
(A and B) Wild-type BMDCs were prepared and stimulated with IL-6. Real-time PCR was done. The relative mRNA level of cystatin C, MHCII (I-Aβ), Ii, and H2-DM in each sample is shown. The average mRNA levels of cystatin C, MHCII (I-Aβ), Ii, and H2-DM in each sample were calculated by defining the value obtained for HPRT mRNA level as 100. The average is shown with error bars indicating 1 SD. The p value was calculated by Student's t test. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown.
(C) gp130F759/F759 BMDCs were generated and stimulated with IL-6 in the presence of inhibitors, CLIK060, E64d, CLIK148, or CA074Me. The BMDCs were lysed and MHCII αβ dimer, Ii, and H2-DM were detected by Western blotting. Three independent experiments were done. The average protein levels of MHCII αβ dimer, Ii, and H2-DM in each sample were calculated by defining the value obtained for BMDCs in the absence of IL-6 and inhibitors as 100. The average is shown with error bars indicating 1 SD. The p value was calculated by Student's t test.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

5. Figure 4
IL-6 Treatment Upregulated Cathepsin Enzyme Activities through STAT3 Activation
(A) Cathepsin B, L, and S activities were analyzed in gp130WT/WT, gp130F759/F759, and gp130FxxQ/FxxQ BMDCs. Each BMDC was treated with IL-6 or IL-10. Three experiments were carried out and the average is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(B) DN-STAT3 was transduced into gp130F759/F759 BMDCs. Each BMDC was treated with IL-6. Cathepsin B, L, and S activities were analyzed. Three experiments were done and the average is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

6. Figure 5
IL-6-Mediated STAT3 Activation Reduced Cystatin mRNA Level in DCs
(A) Wild-type BMDCs were prepared and stimulated with IL-6 or IL-10. The mRNA level of cystatin C and G3PDH in each sample is analyzed. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown.
(B) Cystatin C protein was detected in gp130F759/F759 BMDCs after IL-6 treatment. We used the α-tubulin blot as a standard and defined the non-stimulated controls as 100. These experiments were performed 3 times independently, and representative data are shown.
(C) gp130F759/F759 and gp130FxxQ/FxxQ BMDCs were prepared and stimulated by IL-6. The mRNA level of cystatin C and G3PDH in each sample is shown. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown.
(D) DN-STAT3 was transduced into gp130F759/F759 BMDCs. Cystatin C mRNA in BMDCs expressing DN-STAT3 was detected after IL-6 treatment. These experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown. We calculated the average amount of cystatin C mRNA and defined the value obtained from BMDCs infected with empty vector (Mock) without IL-6 treatment as 100. The relative mRNA level is shown with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(E and F) Cystatin C was transduced into gp130F759/F759 BMDCs, and the BMDCs were sorted as CD11c+Thy1.1+ cells. Cathepsin S activity was measured (E). MHCII αβ dimer, Ii, and H2-DM levels were measured (F). Three independent experiments were done and the averages are shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

7. Figure 6
Increased Cathepsin S Activity Decreased Intracellular MHCII αβ Dimer Level in DCs
(A) Cathepsin S was transduced into wild-type BMDCs and the BMDCs were sorted as CD11c+Thy1.1+ cells. Cathepsin S activity was measured. Three independent experiments were done and the averages are shown with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(B) Cathepsin S was transduced into wild-type BMDCs and the BMDCs were sorted. MHCII αβ dimer, Ii, H2-DM, and cathepsin S (CatS) levels were measured. Three independent experiments were carried out and the averages are shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(C) Cathepsin S was transduced into wild-type BMDCs. The BMDCs were incubated with or without LPS and the surface level of MHCII was analyzed. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD11c+ BMDCs is indicated. The experiments were performed three times independently, and representative data are shown.
(D) Cathepsin S was transduced into wild-type BMDCs. The BMDCs were incubated with or without LPS. P25 CD4+ T cells were co-cultured with the BMDCs in the presence or absence of antigenic-peptide. The activation of P25 CD4+ T cells was monitored by production of IL-2. Three independent experiments were carried out, and the averages are shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

8. Figure 7
IL-6 Signaling Enhanced Cathepsin Activity and Reduced MHCII αβ Dimer Level In Vivo
(A) Cystatin C mRNA in CD11c+ population in sLNs of wild-type and gp130F759/F759 mice was detected. These experiments were performed 3 times independently, and representative results are shown. The relative mRNA level is shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD.
(B and C) The CD11c+ population was sorted from sLNs of wild-type and gp130F759/F759 mice. Cathepsin S activity (B) and SDS-stable MHCII αβ dimer level (C) were analyzed. Three independent experiments were performed, and the average enzyme activity and signal intensity are shown, with error bars indicating 1 SD. For the MHCII αβ dimer level, representative results from three experiments are shown.
Immunity  , DOI: ( /j.immuni )
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions