protoscoleces enhance glycolysis to promote M2 Macrophages through PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Alveolar Echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by , but its pathogenesis remains unclear. The primary objective of this study is to explore whether protoscoleces (PSCs) regulate macrophage polarization and glucose metabolism by PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. We found that large numbers of CD68 macrophages gathered in close liver issue from the lesion in AE patients. PSCs preferentially differentiated into M2 macrophages and the expressions of HK1, PFKL, PKM2, PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR increased. The above results show that protoscoleces enhance glycolysis to promote M2 macrophages through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.