Theileria annulata Hijacks Host Signaling: Integrated Phosphoproteomics and Transcriptomics Unveils ERK1/2 as a Central Regulator of Host Transcription Factors.

ABSTRACT: Theileria-transformed bovine leukocytes exhibit cancer-like characteristics, but the molecular mechanisms driving these transformations remain unclear. This study provides the first comprehensive phosphoproteomic analysis of both host and parasite in Theileria annulata-infected leukocyte cell lines. We show that T. annulata significantly induces changes in the host protein phosphorylation, impacting key cancer-related processes such as apoptosis suppression, CAMK signaling, and telomere maintenance. A pivotal finding is the parasite's manipulation of the MAPK pathway via sustained ERK1/2 activation, which regulates the phosphorylation of critical transcription factors like RUNX3, FOSL2, BCL6, c-JUN, JUNB, and c-MYC. Transcriptomic analysis of genes controlled by these transcription factors

SUBMITTER: Dandasena D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12205586 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature