Multiple signaling pathways mediate interleukin-4-induced 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta5-delta4 isomerase type 1 gene expression in human breast cancer cells.

The 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta5-delta4 isomerase (3beta-HSD) isoenzymes catalyze an essential step in the formation of all classes of active steroid hormones. We have recently shown that 3beta-HSD type 1 gene expression is specifically induced by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 in breast human cancer cell lines and in normal human mammary epithelial cells in primary culture. There is evidence that IL-4 stimulates bifurcating signaling pathways in which the signal transducer and activator of transcription-6 (Stat6)-signal pathway is involved in differentiation and gene regulation, whereas insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins mediate the mitogenic action of IL-4.