First insight into the role of the host-derived mmu-mir-214 and the parasite-derived sma-bantam as biomarkers of the Egyptian strain of Schistosoma mansoni infection before and after praziquantel treatment.

Schistosomiasis mansoni remains one of the most significant public health concerns, with a high economic burden in many endemic countries. Although praziquantel treatment represents a fundamental pillar of its control strategy, yet, the global prevalence remains elevated. The inadequacy of the commercially available diagnostic techniques that detect early cases and low intensity infections could be the reason. Searching for an adequate diagnostic technique, the ongoing study casted the light on microRNAs as promising biomarkers for Schistosoma mansoni diagnosis, by measuring the serum levels of the host-derived mmu-miR-214-3p and the parasite-derived sma-bantam-5p in mice infected with the Egyptian strain of Schistosoma mansoni. The serum expression patterns of the tested microRNAs were assessed in mice infected with 50 or 80 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and were correlated with the corresponding hepatic and intestinal tissue egg count, inflammation grading, granuloma number and size, before and after praziquantel treatment. Results showed that serum miR-214-3p was significantly upregulated as early as the 4th week post-infection, even with low intensity infection. This upregulation continued as the disease progressed. As for sma-bantam-5p, it was detected starting from the 8th week post-infection, particularly with high intensity infection. Interestingly, the expression levels of both miRNAs were significantly reduced following treatment. This study uncovers new insights into the role of miR-214 and sma-bantam, especially if combined together, in detecting early cases, assessing the infection intensity, monitoring disease pathology and response to praziquantel treatment of the Egyptian strain of Schistosoma mansoni that have not documented in an earlier work.