title: Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a P38-Like Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase fromEchinococcus granulosus.
abstract: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) treatment urgently requires a novel drug. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases, but still have to be characterized inEchinococcus granulosus. We identified a 1,107 bp cDNA encoding a 368 amino acid MAPK protein (Egp38) inE. granulosus. Egp38 exhibits 2 distinguishing features of p38-like kinases: a highly conserved T-X-Y motif and an activation loop segment. Structural homology modeling indicated a conserved structure among Egp38, EmMPK2, andH. sapiensp38α, implying a common binding mechanism for the ligand domain and downstream signal transduction processing similar to that described for p38α. Egp38 and its phosphorylated form are expressed in theE. granulosuslarval stages vesicle and protoscolices during intermediate host infection of an intermediate host. Treatment of in vitro cultivated protoscolices with the p38-MAPK inhibitor ML3403 effectively suppressed Egp38 activity and led to significant protoscolices death within 5 days. Treatment of in vitro-cultivated protoscolices with TGF-β1 effectively induced Egp38 phosphorylation. In summary, the MAPK, Egp38, was identified inE. granulosus, as an anti-CE drug target and participates in the interplay between the host andE. granulosusvia human TGF-β1.
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.|College of Basic Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chuanshan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chaowang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jinliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: WHO-Collaborating Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Human Echinococcosis, Department of Parasitology, University of Franche-Comté (EA 3181) and University Hospital, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Dominique A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Vuitton
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Renyong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D016019:Survival Analysis; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Echinococcus granulosus; cystic echinococcosis; p38 MAP kinase; protoscolex