Ubiquitin-mediated regulation of JAK-STAT signaling in embryonic stem cells.

LIF activates several intracellular signaling pathways including JAK-STAT, PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. LIF is an important cytokine for maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal of mouse ES cells. The JAK-STAT signal plays a key role in maintenance of the pluripotency of ESCs. Recent evidence shows that several post-translational modifications regulate activation or inhibition of intracellular signal transductions. The JAK-STAT signal is also modulated by several modifications including phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination. In this review, we discuss regulation of the LIF-mediated-JAK-STAT signaling pathway that contributes to self-renewal of pluripotent ESCs.