STAT4: an immunoregulator contributing to diverse human diseases

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) is a member of the STAT family and localizes to the cytoplasm.STAT4 is phosphorylated after a variety of cytokines bind to the membrane, and then dimerized STAT4 translocates to the nucleus to regulate gene expression.We reviewed the essential role played by STAT4 in a wide variety of cells and the pathogenesis of diverse human diseases, especially many kinds of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, via activation by different cytokines through the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signaling pathway.