The influence of host hormones and cytokines on Echinococcus multilocularis signalling and development.
Parasitic helminths display highly complex life-cycles in which the establishment of adults or larvae within host target organs as well as the transition of one developmental stage to the following is influenced by host-derived factors. Due to its approachability concerning in vitro cultivation, the larval stage of the fox-tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis has recently emerged as a model system to study the molecular nature of such host-derived stimuli and their influence on developmental control in the parasite. Data obtained so far indicate that cytokines which are used by the host for cell-cell communication can also be exploited by the parasite as clues to find suitable target organs. This involves direct interactions of evolutionary conserved signalling systems of the receptor tyrosine--and the receptor serine/threonine-kinase pathways of the parasite with corresponding host cytokines of the insulin-, the epidermal growth factor-, and the transforming growth factor-beta-families. In the present article, we will briefly review in vitro cultivation approaches undertaken so far for E. multilocularis larvae as well as our current knowledge on the parasite's signalling systems and their interaction with host cytokines.
Brehm
K
K
University of Würzburg, Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany. kbrehm@hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de
Spiliotis
M
M
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D048210:Echinococcus multilocularis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta