Schistosoma sex-biased microRNAs regulate ovarian development and egg production by targeting Wnt signaling pathway

Abstract Adult Schistosoma produces a large number of eggs that play essential roles in host pathology and disease dissemination. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms of sexual maturation and egg production may open a new avenue for controlling schistosomiasis. Here, we describe that Bantam mi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pengfei Du, Tianqi Xia, Xuxin Li, Bikash R. Giri, Chuantao Fang, Shun Li, Shi Yan, Guofeng Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07402-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Adult Schistosoma produces a large number of eggs that play essential roles in host pathology and disease dissemination. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms of sexual maturation and egg production may open a new avenue for controlling schistosomiasis. Here, we describe that Bantam miRNA and miR-1989 regulate Wnt signaling pathway by targeting Frizzled-5/7/9, which is involved in ovarian development and oviposition. Additionally, Frizzled-7 could cooperate with SjRho to maintain normal ovarian development and egg productions and SjRho may interact with Hsp60 to potentially support Frizzled-7 trafficking and signaling. Further in vivo inhibition of SjRho in mice model infected with Schistosoma results in a remarkable decrease in worm burden and egg productions. Our findings not only broaden the functions of Bantam miRNA and miR-1989 as well as Wnt signaling pathway, but also imply that interruption of Bantam/miR-1989-Frizzled-5/7/9-SjRho axis may serve as effective targets against schistosomiasis.
ISSN:2399-3642