Aim: miRNAs play a significant role in pharmacogenomics and are likely to be important in the molecular mechanism of atesunate (ART) effects on Schistosoma japonicum.
Methods: We sequenced the RNAs using an Illumina (Solexa) DNA sequencer and compared the relative expression levels of the miRNAs in 10-day-old schistosomula from ART and the parallel control group.
Results: We characterized 95 known miRNAs from S. japonicum schistosomula individuals, including 38 novel miRNA families. Among the detectable 134 miRNAs differentially expressed (>2.0-fold change, p < 0.01) after ART treatment in schistosomula, a total of seven known or novel 3p- or 5p- derived S. japonicum miRNAs were characterized. We propose that sja-miR-125b may regulate the expression of ART metabolizing enzymes, glutathione synthetase or heme-binding protein 2 to help S. japonicum resists or adapts to drug stress and also ART may significantly inhibit sexual maturation of female worms mediated by mir-71b/2 miRNA cluster.
Conclusion: This was the first comprehensive miRNAs expression profile analysis of S. japonicum in response to ART, and provides an overview of the complex network of the mechanism of action of ART on S. japonicum.
Keywords: Schistosoma japonicum; artesunate; miRNAs.