Parasite-derived circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for the detection of human Schistosoma japonicum infection.

Novel tools for early diagnosis and monitoring of schistosomiasis are urgently needed. This study aimed to validate parasite-derived miRNAs as potential novel biomarkers for the detection of human Schistosoma japonicum infection. A total of 21 miRNAs were initially validated by real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using serum samples of S. japonicum-infected BALB/c mice. Of these, 6 miRNAs were further validated with a human cohort of individuals from a schistosomiasis-endemic area of the Philippines. RT-PCR analysis showed that two parasite-derived miRNAs (sja-miR-2b-5p and sja-miR-2c-5p) could detect infected individuals with low infection intensity with moderate sensitivity/specificity values of 66%/68% and 55%/80%, respectively. Analysis of the combined data for the two parasite miRNAs revealed a specificity of 77.4% and a sensitivity of 60.0% with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.6906 (P = 0.0069); however, a duplex RT-PCR targeting both sja-miR-2b-5p and sja-miR-2c-5p did not result in an increased diagnostic performance compared with the singleplex assays. Furthermore, the serum level of sja-miR-2c-5p correlated significantly with faecal egg counts, whereas the other five miRNAs did not. Targeting S. japonicum-derived miRNAs in serum resulted in a moderate diagnostic performance when applied to a low schistosome infection intensity setting.

Profiling circulating microRNAs in serum of Fasciola gigantica-infected buffalo.

Circulating miRNAs are stably existed in serum and plasma and can serve as a novel class of biomarkers for the diagnosis of helminthic infection. Fasciola gigantica, the causative agents of fascioliasis, live in the liver of in humans and ruminants, especially cattle, goat and sheep. In this study, a total of 121 host circulating miRNAs were differentially expressed (2 ≥ fold change, p < 0.05), of which 44 miRNAs were up-regulated and 77 miRNAs were significantly down-regulated. Consistent with the sequencing data, qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of bta-miR-21-5p and bta-miR-23a were elevated gradually and bta-miR-125a was decreased gradually at the F. gigantica infection time points. Four F. gigantica-specific miRNAs, including three known miRNAs (fgi-miR-87, fgi-miR-71, and fgi-miR-124), and one novel miRNA (novel miR-1) were identified in the sera of F. gigantica-infected buffaloes. Further analyses demonstrated that two parasite-derived miRNAs (fgi-miR-87 and fgi-miR-71) were specifically detected in sera of F. gigantica-infected buffaloes. These findings will be helpful to understand the roles of circulating miRNAs in host-parasite interaction and to potentiate serum miRNAs as diagnostic targets for F. gigantica.

Schistosomal MicroRNAs Isolated From Extracellular Vesicles in Sera of Infected Patients: A New Tool for Diagnosis and Follow-up of Human Schistosomiasis.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis traditionally has been diagnosed by detecting eggs in stool or urine. However, the sensitivity of these examinations is limited, especially in travelers with a low worm burden. Serologic tests have a greater sensitivity, but their results remain positive regardless of treatment and thus cannot be used for follow-up of patients. We hypothesized that detection of worm microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum can overcome the drawbacks of the existing diagnostic methods. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-six returning travelers with schistosomiasis (based on positive results of serologic tests or detection of ova) and 17 healthy controls were included in the study. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) amplification of miRNA extracted directly from 500 µL of serum had limited sensitivity and specificity. However, qRT-PCR analysis of RNA extracted from 200 µL of serum extracellular vesicles detected 4 schistosomal miRNAs; the sensitivity and specificity of the 2 highest expressed miRNAs (bantam and miR-2c-3p) were 86% and 84%, respectively. In 7 patients with posttreatment serum available for analysis, we observed outcomes ranging from a reduction in the schistosomal miRNA level to full recovery from disease. CONCLUSIONS: qRT-PCR of pathogen miRNAs isolated from extracellular vesicles in sera from infected individuals may provide a new tool for diagnosing schistosomiasis in patients with a low parasite burden. This assay could also be used for evaluating the outcome of therapy, as well as disease-control programs.

MicroRNAs in Parasitic Helminthiases: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a variety of roles in diverse biological processes at the post-transcriptional regulatory level. Although numerous miRNAs have been identified in parasitic helminths, we still know little about their biological functions. As molecular signatures that can be stably detectable in serum and plasma, worm-derived miRNAs have shown promise as markers for the early detection of particular helminth infections. In addition, host miRNAs are dysregulated during the development of pathology associated with helminthiases and show potential as therapeutic intervention targets. This review discusses the possible biological roles of helminth miRNAs, the prediction of their specific targets, their application in diagnosis and anti-pathology therapy interventions, and the potential functions of miRNAs in extracellular vesicle cargo, such as exosomes, in helminth-host interplay.

Extracellular Onchocerca-derived small RNAs in host nodules and blood.

BACKGROUND: microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short, non-coding RNA can be found in a highly stable, cell-free form in mammalian body fluids. Specific miRNAs are secreted by parasitic nematodes in exosomes and have been detected in the serum of murine and dog hosts infected with the filarial nematodes Litomosoides sigmodontis and Dirofilaria immitis, respectively. Here we identify extracellular, parasite-derived small RNAs associated with Onchocerca species infecting cattle and humans. METHODS: Small RNA libraries were prepared from total RNA extracted from the nodule fluid of cattle infected with Onchocerca ochengi as well as serum and plasma from humans infected with Onchocerca volvulus in Cameroon and Ghana. Parasite-derived miRNAs were identified based on the criteria that sequences unambiguously map to hairpin structures in Onchocerca genomes, do not align to the human genome and are not present in European control serum. RESULTS: A total of 62 mature miRNAs from 52 distinct pre-miRNA candidates were identified in nodule fluid from cattle infected with O. ochengi of which 59 are identical in the genome of the human parasite O. volvulus. Six of the extracellular miRNAs were also identified in sequencing analyses of serum and plasma from humans infected with O. volvulus. Based on sequencing analysis the abundance levels of the parasite miRNAs in serum or plasma range from 5 to 127 reads/per million total host miRNA reads identified, comparable to our previous analyses of Schistosoma mansoni and L. sigmodontis miRNAs in serum. All six of the O. volvulus miRNAs identified have orthologs in other filarial nematodes and four were identified in the serum of mice infected with L. sigmodontis. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified parasite-derived miRNAs associated with onchocerciasis in cattle and humans. Our results confirm the conserved nature of RNA secretion by diverse nematodes. Additional species-specific small RNAs from O. volvulus may be present in serum based on the novel miRNA sequences identified in the nodule fluid. In our analyses comparison to European control serum illuminates the scope for false-positives, warranting caution in criteria that should be applied to identification of biomarkers of infection.

Detection of circulating parasite-derived microRNAs in filarial infections.

Filarial nematodes cause chronic and profoundly debilitating diseases in both humans and animals. Applications of novel technology are providing unprecedented opportunities to improve diagnosis and our understanding of the molecular basis for host-parasite interactions. As a first step, we investigated the presence of circulating miRNAs released by filarial nematodes into the host bloodstream. miRNA deep-sequencing combined with bioinformatics revealed over 200 mature miRNA sequences of potential nematode origin in Dirofilaria immitis-infected dog plasma in two independent analyses, and 21 in Onchocerca volvulus-infected human serum. Total RNA obtained from D. immitis-infected dog plasma was subjected to stem-loop RT-qPCR assays targeting two detected miRNA candidates, miR-71 and miR-34. Additionally, Brugia pahangi-infected dog samples were included in the analysis, as these miRNAs were previously detected in extracts prepared from this species. The presence of miR-71 and miR-34 discriminated infected samples (both species) from uninfected samples, in which no specific miRNA amplification occurred. However, absolute miRNA copy numbers were not significantly correlated with microfilaraemia for either parasite. This may be due to the imprecision of mf counts to estimate infection intensity or to miRNA contributions from the unknown number of adult worms present. Nonetheless, parasite-derived circulating miRNAs are found in plasma or serum even for those species that do not live in the bloodstream.

Parasite-derived microRNAs in host serum as novel biomarkers of helminth infection.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding RNA that play important roles in disease processes in animals and are present in a highly stable cell-free form in body fluids. Here, we examine the capacity of host and parasite miRNAs to serve as tissue or serum biomarkers of Schistosoma mansoni infection. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used Exiqon miRNA microarrays to profile miRNA expression in the livers of mice infected with S. mansoni at 7 weeks post-infection. Thirty-three mouse miRNAs were differentially expressed in infected compared to naïve mice (>2 fold change, p<0.05) including miR-199a-3p, miR-199a-5p, miR-214 and miR-21, which have previously been associated with liver fibrosis in other settings. Five of the mouse miRNAs were also significantly elevated in serum by twelve weeks post-infection. Sequencing of small RNAs from serum confirmed the presence of these miRNAs and further revealed eleven parasite-derived miRNAs that were detectable by eight weeks post infection. Analysis of host and parasite miRNA abundance by qRT-PCR was extended to serum of patients from low and high infection sites in Zimbabwe and Uganda. The host-derived miRNAs failed to distinguish uninfected from infected individuals. However, analysis of three of the parasite-derived miRNAs (miR-277, miR-3479-3p and bantam) could detect infected individuals from low and high infection intensity sites with specificity/sensitivity values of 89%/80% and 80%/90%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This work identifies parasite-derived miRNAs as novel markers of S. mansoni infection in both mice and humans, with the potential to be used with existing techniques to improve S. mansoni diagnosis. In contrast, although host miRNAs are differentially expressed in the liver during infection their abundance levels in serum are variable in human patients and may be useful in cases of extreme pathology but likely hold limited value for detecting prevalence of infection.