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Nunes S, Bastos R, Marinho AI, Vieira R, Benício I, de Noronha MA, Lírio S, Brodskyn C, Tavares NM. Recent advances in the development and clinical application of miRNAs in infectious diseases. Noncoding RNA Res 2025; 10:41-54. [PMID: 39296638 PMCID: PMC11406675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the search for new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for infectious diseases, several molecules have been investigated. Small RNAs, known as microRNAs (miRs), are important regulators of gene expression, and have emerged as promising candidates for these purposes. MiRs are a class of small, endogenous non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in several human diseases, including host-pathogen interaction mechanisms. Recently, miRs signatures have been reported in different infectious diseases, opening new perspectives for molecular diagnosis and therapy. MiR profiles can discriminate between healthy individuals and patients, as well as distinguish different disease stages. Furthermore, the possibility of assessing miRs in biological fluids, such as serum and whole blood, renders these molecules feasible for the development of new non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tools. In this manuscript, we will comprehensively describe miRs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in infectious diseases and explore how they can contribute to the advance of existing and new tools. Additionally, we will discuss different miR analysis platforms to understand the obstacles and advances of this molecular approach and propose their potential clinical applications and contributions to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Nunes
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Rana Bastos
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Ananda Isis Marinho
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Raissa Vieira
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Ingra Benício
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Sofia Lírio
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Brodskyn
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
- Laboratory of Parasite-Host Interaction and Epidemiology (LaIPHE), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) Iii - Instituto de Investigação Em Imunologia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Machado Tavares
- Laboratory of Medicine and Precision Public Health (MeSP), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) Iii - Instituto de Investigação Em Imunologia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Scaramele NF, Troiano JA, Felix JDS, Costa SF, Almeida MC, Florencio de Athayde FR, Soares MF, Lopes MFDS, Furlan ADO, de Lima VMF, Lopes FL. Leishmania infantum infection modulates messenger RNA, microRNA and long non-coding RNA expression in human neutrophils in vitro. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012318. [PMID: 39028711 PMCID: PMC11259272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the Americas, L. infantum (syn. chagasi) is the main cause of human visceral leishmaniasis. The role of neutrophils as part of the innate response to Leishmania spp. infection is dubious and varies according to the species causing the infection. Global expression of coding RNAs, microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs changes as part of the immune response against pathogens. Changes in mRNA and non-coding RNA expression resulting from infection by Leishmania spp. are widely studied in macrophages, but scarce in neutrophils, the first cell to encounter the trypanosomatid, especially following infection by L. infantum. Herein, we aimed to understand the expression patterns of coding and non-coding transcripts during acute in vitro infection of human neutrophils by L. infantum. We isolated neutrophils from whole blood of healthy male donors (n = 5) and split into groups: 1) infected with L. infantum (MOI = 5:1), and 2) uninfected controls. After 3 hours of exposure of infected group to promastigotes of L. infantum, followed by 17 hours of incubation, total RNA was extracted and total RNA-Seq and miRNA microarray were performed. A total of 212 genes were differentially expressed in neutrophils following RNA-Seq analysis (log2(FC)±0.58, FDR≤0.05). In vitro infection with L. infantum upregulated the expression of 197 and reduced the expression of 92 miRNAs in human neutrophils (FC±2, FDR≤0.01). Lastly, 5 downregulated genes were classified as lncRNA, and of the 10 upregulated genes, there was only 1 lncRNA. Further bioinformatic analysis indicated that changes in the transcriptome and microtranscriptome of neutrophils, following in vitro infection with L. infantum, may impair phagocytosis, apoptosis and decrease nitric oxide production. Our work sheds light on several mechanisms used by L. infantum to control neutrophil-mediated immune response and identifies several targets for future functional studies, aiming at the development of preventive or curative treatments for this prevalent zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Francisco Scaramele
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Antonini Troiano
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana de Souza Felix
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sidnei Ferro Costa
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariana Cordeiro Almeida
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávia Regina Florencio de Athayde
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matheus Fujimura Soares
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Fernanda da Silva Lopes
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda de Oliveira Furlan
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flavia Lombardi Lopes
- Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
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Mirzaei R, Karampoor S, Korotkova NL. The emerging role of miRNA-122 in infectious diseases: Mechanisms and potential biomarkers. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 249:154725. [PMID: 37544130 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play crucial regulatory roles in numerous cellular processes. Recent investigations have highlighted the significant involvement of miRNA-122 (miR-122) in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases caused by diverse pathogens, encompassing viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. In the context of viral infections, miR-122 exerts regulatory control over viral replication by binding to the viral genome and modulating the host's antiviral response. For instance, in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, miR-122 restricts viral replication, while HBV, in turn, suppresses miR-122 expression. Conversely, miR-122 interacts with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome, facilitating viral replication. Regarding bacterial infections, miR-122 has been found to regulate host immune responses by influencing inflammatory cytokine production and phagocytosis. In Vibrio anguillarum infections, there is a significant reduction in miR-122 expression, contributing to the pathophysiology of bacterial infections. Toll-like receptor 14 (TLR14) has been identified as a novel target gene of miR-122, affecting inflammatory and immune responses. In the context of parasitic infections, miR-122 plays a crucial role in regulating host lipid metabolism and immune responses. For example, during Leishmania infection, miR-122-containing extracellular vesicles from liver cells are unable to enter infected macrophages, leading to a suppression of the inflammatory response. Furthermore, miR-122 exhibits promise as a potential biomarker for various infectious diseases. Its expression level in body fluids, particularly in serum and plasma, correlates with disease severity and treatment response in patients affected by HCV, HBV, and tuberculosis. This paper also discusses the potential of miR-122 as a biomarker in infectious diseases. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive and insightful overview of the emerging role of miR-122 in infectious diseases, detailing its mechanism of action and potential implications for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasoul Mirzaei
- Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Medical Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sajad Karampoor
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Nadezhda Lenoktovna Korotkova
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia; Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Privolzhsky Research Medical University" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (FSBEI HE PRMU MOH Russia), Russia
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Jafarzadeh A, Nemati M, Aminizadeh N, Bodhale N, Sarkar A, Jafarzadeh S, Sharifi I, Saha B. Bidirectional cytokine-microRNA control: A novel immunoregulatory framework in leishmaniasis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010696. [PMID: 35925884 PMCID: PMC9351994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
As effector innate immune cells and as a host to the protozoan parasite Leishmania, macrophages play a dual role in antileishmanial immunoregulation. The 2 key players in this immunoregulation are the macrophage-expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and the macrophage-secreted cytokines. miRNAs, as small noncoding RNAs, play vital roles in macrophage functions including cytokines and chemokines production. In the reverse direction, Leishmania-regulated cytokines alter miRNAs expression to regulate the antileishmanial functions of macrophages. The miRNA patterns vary with the time and stage of infection. The cytokine-regulated macrophage miRNAs not only help parasite elimination or persistence but also regulate cytokine production from macrophages. Based on these observations, we propose a novel immunoregulatory framework as a scientific rationale for antileishmanial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdollah Jafarzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- * E-mail: (AJ); (BS)
| | - Maryam Nemati
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Department of Haematology and Laboratory Sciences, School of Para-Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Najmeh Aminizadeh
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University Branch of Kerman, Kerman
| | | | - Arup Sarkar
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sara Jafarzadeh
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre For Cell Science, Pune, India
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- * E-mail: (AJ); (BS)
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Rashidi S, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Ghani E, Barazesh A, Karimazar M, Nguewa P, Carrera Silva EA. Highlighting the interplay of microRNAs from Leishmania parasites and infected-host cells. Parasitology 2021; 148:1434-1446. [PMID: 34218829 PMCID: PMC11010138 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021001177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites, the causative agents of leishmaniasis, are protozoan parasites with the ability to modify the signalling pathway and cell responses of their infected host cells. These parasite strategies alter the host cell environment and conditions favouring their replication, survival and pathogenesis. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) are able to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression processes, these biomolecules can exert critical roles in controlling Leishmania-host cell interplay. Therefore, the identification of relevant miRNAs differentially expressed in Leishmania parasites as well as in infected cells, which affect the host fitness, could be critical to understand the infection biology, pathogenicity and immune response against these parasites. Accordingly, the current review aims to address the differentially expressed miRNAs in both, the parasite and infected host cells and how these biomolecules change cell signalling and host immune responses during infection. A deep understanding of these processes could provide novel guidelines and therapeutic strategies for managing and treating leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Ghani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Afshin Barazesh
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Karimazar
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Paul Nguewa
- University of Navarra, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), c/Irunlarrea 1, 31008Pamplona, Spain
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Feiz Haddad MH, Rezvan H, Nourian A, Habibpour H. Expression of MicroRNA of Macrophages Infected with Attenuated Leishmania major Parasite. J PEDIAT INF DIS-GER 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1724021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective Leishmaniasis has been proposed as one of the neglected vector-borne diseases due to an obligate intracellular parasite of the genus Leishmania. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) with a length of 22-nucleotide are known as the noncoding small RNAs. MiRNAs contribute to many biological and cellular approaches. Therefore, the present study evaluated expressing mmu-miR-721, mmu-miR-294–3p, mmu-miR-155–3p, and mmu-miR-30a in murine macrophages infected with attenuated Leishmania major parasites on 3 days after infection.
Methods Attenuated promastigotes have been achieved after 20 passages of Leishmania major parasites. Cell line J774A.1 (murine macrophage) has been used for in vitro experiments. The stationary phase of attenuated L. major promastigotes has been chosen to infect the cells, and then their incubation has been performed with 5% CO2 at 37°C for 3 days. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has also been performed with SYBR Green master-mix Kit for measuring the level of mmu-miR-721, mmu-miR-294–3p, mmu-miR-30a, and mmu-miR-155-3p expression. Uninfected macrophages have been considered as a control group.
Results Real-time PCR demonstrated overexpression of mmu-miR-155-3p, mmu-miR-294–3p, and, mmu-miR-721 in the infected cells with Leishmania parasites after 3 days. Results showed no statistically significant difference in the mmu-miR-30a expression between infected macrophages and the uninfected control group.
Conclusion Our findings suggested the significant contribution of the alterations in the miRNA levels to the regulation of macrophage functions following the creation of intracellular parasites like Leishmania. These data could help to understand better the genes' expression in the host cells in the course of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Feiz Haddad
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Hossein Rezvan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Alireza Nourian
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Habib Habibpour
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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Costa AFP, de Brito RCF, Carvalho LM, Cardoso JMDO, Vieira PMDA, Reis AB, Aguiar-Soares RDDO, Roatt BM. Liver infusion tryptose (LIT): the best choice for growth, viability, and infectivity of Leishmania infantum parasites. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:4185-4195. [PMID: 33033848 PMCID: PMC7544523 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06893-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania spp. parasites have a complex biological cycle presenting basically two different morphological stages, the amastigote and promastigote forms. In vitro cultivation allows a more complete study of the biological aspects of these parasites, indicating better conditions for infection, immunoassay tests, drug evaluations, and vaccines. Thus, we evaluated the three most used culture media for Leishmania spp., Grace’s insect cell culture medium (Grace’s), liver infusion tryptose (LIT), and Schneider’s insect medium (Schneider’s), without supplementation or supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS) and bovine serum albumin (Albumin) to evaluate the growth, viability, and infectivity of the L. infantum promastigotes. It was observed that promastigote forms have a better growth in LIT and Schneider’s with or without FCS when compared to that in Grace’s. The supplementation with albumin promoted greater viability of the parasites independent of the medium. For in vitro infection of J774.A1 macrophages using light microscopy and flow cytometry analyses, FCS-supplemented LIT and Grace’s promoted higher percentage of infected macrophages and parasite load compared with Schneider’s media. Taken together, our results demonstrated that the supplementation of LIT culture medium with FCS is the most suitable strategy to cultivate Leishmania infantum parasites enabling the maintenance of growth and infective parasites for research uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia Pereira Costa
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Rory Cristiane Fortes de Brito
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Lívia Mendes Carvalho
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Jamille Mirelle de Oliveira Cardoso
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira
- Laboratório de Morfopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Barbosa Reis
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, INCT-DT, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Dian de Oliveira Aguiar-Soares
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Bruno Mendes Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil. .,Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. .,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, INCT-DT, Salvador, Brazil.
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Induction of miR 21 impairs the anti-Leishmania response through inhibition of IL-12 in canine splenic leukocytes. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226192. [PMID: 31825987 PMCID: PMC6905561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral Leishmaniasis is a chronic zoonosis and, if left untreated, can be fatal. Infected dogs have decreased cellular immunity (Th1) and develop a potent humoral response (Th2), which is not effective for elimination of the protozoan. Immune response can be modulated by microRNAs (miRNAs), however, characterization of miRNAs and their possible regulatory role in the spleen of infected dogs have not been done. We evaluated miRNA expression in splenic leukocytes (SL) from dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum and developing leishmaniasis (CanL; n = 8) compared to healthy dogs (n = 4). Microarray analysis showed increased expression of miR 21, miR 148a, miR 7 and miR 615, and downregulation of miR 150, miR 125a and miR 125b. Real-time PCR validated the differential expression of miR 21, miR 148a and miR 615. Further, decrease of miR 21 in SL, by means of transfection with a miR 21 inhibitor, increased the IL-12 cytokine and the T-bet/GATA-3 ratio, and decreased parasite load on SL of dogs with CanL. Taken together, these findings suggest that L. infantum infection alters splenic expression of miRNAs and that miR 21 interferes in the cellular immune response of L. infantum-infected dogs, placing this miRNA as a possible therapeutic target in CanL.
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Bragato JP, Melo LM, Venturin GL, Rebech GT, Garcia LE, Lopes FL, de Lima VMF. Relationship of peripheral blood mononuclear cells miRNA expression and parasitic load in canine visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206876. [PMID: 30517108 PMCID: PMC6281177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in humans is a chronic and often fatal disease if left untreated. Dogs appear to be the main reservoir host for L. infantum infection, however, in many regions other canids such as jackals, foxes, wolves and other mammals, such as hares or black rats, have been implicated as wild reservoirs. Most dogs cannot form an effective immune response against this infection, and this could be modulated by small non-coding RNAs, called microRNAs, responsible for post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Here, we evaluated the expression of miRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of symptomatic dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (L.) infantum (n = 10) and compared to those of healthy dogs (n = 5). Microarray analysis revealed that miR-21, miR-424, miR-194 and miR-451 had a 3-fold increase in expression, miR-192, miR-503, and miR-371 had a 2-fold increase in expression, whereas a 2-fold reduction in expression was observed for miR-150 and miR-574. Real-time PCR validated the differential expression of miR-21, miR-150, miR-451, miR-192, miR-194, and miR-371. Parasite load of PBMC was measured by real-time PCR and correlated to the differentially expressed miRNAs, showing a strong positive correlation with expression of miR-194, a regular positive correlation with miR-371 expression, and a moderate negative correlation with miR-150 expression in PBMC. These findings suggest that Leishmania infection interferes with miRNAs expression in PBMC, and their correlation with parasite load may help in the identification of therapeutic targets in Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline Poleto Bragato
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa Martins Melo
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Lovizutto Venturin
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Torres Rebech
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro Encarnação Garcia
- Department of Support, Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flavia Lombardi Lopes
- Department of Support, Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima
- Department of Animal Clinic, Surgery and Reproduction, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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