title: EGF-mediated EGFR/ERK signaling pathway promotes germinative cell proliferation in Echinococcus multilocularis that contributes to larval growth and development.
abstract: Larvae of the tapeworm E. multilocularis cause alveolar echinococcosis (AE), one of the most lethal helminthic infections in humans. A population of stem cell-like cells, the germinative cells, is considered to drive the larval growth and development within the host. The molecular mechanisms controlling the behavior of germinative cells are largely unknown.
  
  
  
  Using in vitro cultivation systems we show here that the EGFR/ERK signaling in the parasite can promote germinative cell proliferation in response to addition of human EGF, resulting in stimulated growth and development of the metacestode larvae. Inhibition of the signaling by either the EGFR inhibitors CI-1033 and BIBW2992 or the MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 impairs germinative cell proliferation and larval growth.
  
  
  
  These data demonstrate the contribution of EGF-mediated EGFR/ERK signaling to the regulation of germinative cells in E. multilocularis, and suggest the EGFR/ERK signaling as a potential therapeutic target for AE and perhaps other human cestodiasis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Xiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Mengya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Jianjian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Xinrui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.|Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Yanhai
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0002-2467
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048210:Echinococcus multilocularis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors