The upper cytokine-binding module and the Ig-like domain of the leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptor are sufficient for a functional LIF receptor complex.

To elucidate the function of the two cytokine-binding modules (CBM) of the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR), receptor chimeras of LIFR and the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) were constructed. Either the NH(2)-terminal (chimera RILLIFdeltaI) or the COOH-terminal LIFR CBM (chimera RILLIFdeltaII) were replaced by the structurally related CBM of the IL-6R which does not bind LIF. Chimera RILLIFdeltaI is functionally inactive, whereas RILLIFdeltaII binds LIF and mediates signalling as efficiently as the wild-type LIFR. Deletion mutants of the LIFR revealed that both the NH(2)-terminal CBM and the Ig-like domain of the LIFR are involved in LIF binding, presumably via the LIF site III epitope. The main function of the COOH-terminal CBM of the LIFR is to position the NH(2)-terminal CBM and the Ig-like domain, so that these can bind to LIF. In analogy to a recently published model of the IL-6R complex, a model of the active LIFR complex is suggested which positions the COOH-terminal CBM at LIF site I and the NH(2)-terminal CBM and the Ig-like domain at site III. An additional contact is postulated between the Ig-like domain of gp130 and the NH(2)-terminal CBM of the LIFR.