The revised microRNA complement of Fasciola hepatica reveals a plethora of overlooked microRNAs and evidence for enrichment of immuno-regulatory microRNAs in extracellular vesicles

B Fromm; M Trelis; M Hackenberg; F Cantalapiedra; D Bernal; A Marcilla

doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.06.002

The revised microRNA complement of Fasciola hepatica reveals a plethora of overlooked microRNAs and evidence for enrichment of immuno-regulatory microRNAs in extracellular vesicles

Int J Parasitol. 2015 Sep;45(11):697-702. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.06.002. Epub 2015 Jul 13.

Authors

B Fromm¹, M Trelis², M Hackenberg³, F Cantalapiedra⁴, D Bernal⁵, A Marcilla⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, N-0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: bastian.fromm@rr-research.no.
² Área de Parasitología, Departamento de Biología Celular y Parasitología, Universitat de València, Av. V.A. Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot (Valencia), Spain; Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Universitat de València-Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
³ Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, 18100 Granada, Spain.
⁴ Área de Parasitología, Departamento de Biología Celular y Parasitología, Universitat de València, Av. V.A. Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot (Valencia), Spain; Veterinari de Salut Pública, Centre de Salut Pública de Manises, 46940 Manises (Valencia), Spain.
⁵ Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot (Valencia), Spain.
⁶ Área de Parasitología, Departamento de Biología Celular y Parasitología, Universitat de València, Av. V.A. Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot (Valencia), Spain; Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Universitat de València-Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: antonio.marcilla@uv.es.

PMID: 26183562
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.06.002

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gene regulators that have recently been shown to down-regulate the immune response via extracellular vesicles in the mammalian host of helminthic parasites. Using the miRNA prediction pipeline miRCandRef, we expanded the current miRNA set of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda) from 16 to 54 miRNAs (42 conserved and 13 novel). Comparing the cellular expression levels with extracellular vesicles, we found all miRNAs expressed and enriched for miRNAs with immuno-regulatory function, tissue growth and cancer. Our findings support the hypothesis that miRNAs are the molecular mediators of the previously demonstrated immune modulatory function of extracellular vesicles.

Keywords: Extracellular vesicles; Fasciola hepatica; Helminth; miRNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Computational Biology
Extracellular Vesicles / chemistry*
Fasciola hepatica / genetics*
Gene Expression Regulation
Genomics
Humans
Immunomodulation
MicroRNAs / analysis*
MicroRNAs / genetics*

Substances

MicroRNAs