Strain Detail: SOCS1 KO (BALB/c congenic) mice

SOCS1 (Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1) is a one of the signal transduction inhibitor, also called JAB (JAK-binding protein) or SSI (STAT-induced STAT inhibitor) -1. In 1997, it was found that SOCS1 was a molecule suppressing cytokine signal transduction to inhibit actiovation of JAK, a important cytokine signal transduction factor, by binding to JAK after being induced to express by cytokine (1-3). SOCS1 has one SH2 domain in the central region and conserved C-terminal domain (SC-motif/SOCS-box/CH-domain). This structural characteristic suggests that the SOCS family consists of at least 8 members.

Nakaet al. (Faculty of Medicine, Osaka University) produced congenic mice derived from two types of gene background, BALB/c and C57BL/6J after producing knockout mice using ES cells derived from 129 strain mice (4). We're available for supply of these two lines. SOCS1 KO mice are lethal before weaning caused by anomaly of immune cells. These mice decrease lymphoid cell by facilitation of apoptosis though differentiation of lymphocytes in thymus or spleen is normal. This strain is available for the research of cytokine signal transduction or immune system.

1. Starr R, Willson TA, Viney EM, Murray LJ, Rayner JR, Jenkins BJ, Gonda TJ, Alexander WS, Metcalf D, Nicola NA, and Hilton DJ. (1997) A family of cytokine-inducible inhibitors of signalling. Nature 387(6636):917-21. [PMID:9202125]
2. Endo TA, Masuhara M, Yokouchi M, Suzuki R, Sakamoto H, Mitsui K, Matsumoto A, Tanimura S, Ohtsubo M, Misawa H, Miyazaki T, Leonor N, Taniguchi T, Fujita T, Kanakura Y, Komiya S, and Yoshimura A. (1997) A new protein containing an SH2 domain that inhibits JAK kinases. Nature 387(6636):921-4. [PMID:9202126]
3. Naka T, Narazaki M, Hirata M, Matsumoto T, Minamoto S, Aono A, Nishimoto N, Kajita T, Taga T, Yoshizaki K, Akira S, and Kishimoto T. (1997) Structure and function of a new STAT-induced STAT inhibitor. Nature 387(6636):924-9. [PMID:9202127]
4. Naka T, Matsumoto T, Narazaki M, Fujimoto M, Morita Y, Ohsawa Y, Saito H, Nagasawa T, Uchiyama Y, and Kishimoto T. (1998) Accelerated apoptosis of lymphocytes by augmented induction of Bax in SSI-1 (STAT-induced STAT inhibitor-1) deficient mice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95(26):15577-82. [PMID:9861011]