Expression profiles of miRNAs in ruminant intermediate hosts with cystic echinococcosis.

Elena Ciccone; Paola Pepe; Giovanna Maria Ventola; Giovanna Marchese; Nunzio Antonio Cacciola; Antonio Bosco; Maria Paola Maurelli; Jacopo Guccione; Mariele De Santi; Gaetano Oliva; Laura Rinaldi

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2026.110853

PubMed · 42468355

Expression profiles of miRNAs in ruminant intermediate hosts with cystic echinococcosis.

Elena Ciccone·Paola Pepe·Giovanna Maria Ventola·Giovanna Marchese·Nunzio Antonio Cacciola·Antonio Bosco·Maria Paola Maurelli·Jacopo Guccione·Mariele De Santi·Gaetano Oliva·Laura Rinaldi

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Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.), is a parasitic zoonotic disease recognized by the World Health Organization as a neglected tropical disease of significant public health concern. Despite ongoing control programs, CE remains endemic, underlining the need for integrated control strategies that involve new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Recent investigations have spotlighted microRNAs (miRNAs) as key regulators in parasite development, immunomodulation, and as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. In the present research, a molecular study was conducted to investigate hydatid cyst samples (protoscoleces and germinal membranes) collected in southern Italy from different ruminant species (sheep, cattle, and water buffaloes), naturally infected with CE, with the ultimate goal of establishing a more comprehensive picture of miRNA expression patterns in these intermediate hosts. The bioinformatic analysis of hydatid cyst samples revealed 168 mature miRNAs. Among these, egr-miR-10-5p, egr-let-7-5p, and egr-miR-71-5p were the most abundant, with egr-miR-10-5p showing particularly high expression levels. No significant differences in miRNA abundance between host species were found. In contrast, when focusing on the comparison between protoscoleces and sterile germinal membranes, 24 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. Targeted qPCR of four selected miRNAs (egr-miR-71-5p, egr-let-7-5p, egr-miR-125-5p, and egr-miR-10-5p) showed clear overexpression in protoscoleces and in fertile germinal membranes compared with sterile ones. The differential miRNA expression patterns provide insight into the molecular mechanisms controlling the parasite's lifecycle and may guide the development of novel intervention methods to enhance CE control in endemic areas.

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Animals MicroRNAs Echinococcosis Cattle Echinococcus granulosus Sheep Buffaloes Sheep Diseases Cattle Diseases Gene Expression Profiling Italy Ruminants Cystic echinococcosis MicroRNA QPCR Small RNA library Journal Article

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Elena Ciccone, Paola Pepe, Giovanna Maria Ventola, Giovanna Marchese, Nunzio Antonio Cacciola, Antonio Bosco, Maria Paola Maurelli, Jacopo Guccione, Mariele De Santi, Gaetano Oliva, Laura Rinaldi. 2026-07-15. Expression profiles of miRNAs in ruminant intermediate hosts with cystic echinococcosis.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2026.110853

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Journal Article resource Animals subject Buffaloes subject Cattle subject Cattle Diseases subject Gene Expression Profiling subject Journal Article subject MicroRNAs subject

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