SOCS家族在中枢神经系统的研究进展

The Progresses of Research on SOCS Family in the Central Nervous System

细胞因子信号抑制因子(SOCS)家族是一类对细胞因子信号通路具有负反馈调节作用的蛋白分子,参与多种细胞因子、生长因子和激素的信号调节。细胞因子对中枢神经系统中的各种生物效应具有广泛多样的调节作用,SOCS家族的许多成员在发育时期和成年的脑内均有表达,SOCS家族不仅与细胞因子信号调节及中枢神经系统多种功能的调节密切相关,而且可能是神经发育和分化的重要调控因子,并参与神经免疫内分泌调节。本文综述了SOCS家族的发现、结构特点、脑内分布以及在中枢神经系统中的功能等方面的研究进展。

The suppressors of cytokine signaling （SOCS） are a family of proteins that function as negative regulators of cytokine signaling pathways, involved in the cellular actions of many types of cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. Cytokines modulate a wide variety of biological responses in the central nervous system （CNS）. SOCS genes are constitutively expressed in the developing and adult brain. It is suggested that members of the SOCS family might not only play crucial roles in regulating cytokine signaling in both normal and disease states, but also act as important modulators during development and differentiation of CNS. Therefore, they may be involved in the modulation of neuroimmunoendocrine processes. Here we summarized the recent progresses about the discovery and characteristics of SOCS genes, their distribution and functions in the CNS.