Phosphorylation of STAT3 is a known consequence of peripheral nerve injury (Qiu et al., 2005; Schwaiger et al., 2000), and particularly noteworthy in the context of our study: several of the mediators we identified as up-regulated with nerve injury in mouse mural cells are cytokines which activate the JAK/STAT pathway (Il6, Lif and Clcf1). The gene discussed is SOAT1; the disease is peripheral nerve injury.