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. 2017 Mar 9;13(3):e1006654. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006654

Fig 8. Proposed mechanism of action of CUZD1 in the mammary gland epithelium.

Fig 8

Binding of PRL to PRLR induces activation of JAK1/2. CUZD1 forms a complex with JAKs and potentiates activation of STAT5 downstream of PRLR. Activated STAT5 and CUZD1 translocate to the nucleus where STAT5 regulates transcription of target genes, such as Ereg and Wap. EREG acts in a paracrine and/or autocrine manner through ErbB1 and/or ErbB4 to induce mammary epithelial proliferation. The expression of WAP, a milk protein, marks the terminal differentiation of the mammary epithelium.