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Plasma extracellular microRNAs are related to AIDS/cerebral toxoplasmosis co-infection

Ingrid de Siqueira Pereira1, Marta Marques Maia1, Allecineia Bispo da Cruz1

  • 1Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Fungos, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Parasite Immunology
|January 17, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Biomarkers for cerebral toxoplasmosis/HIV co-infection (CT/HIV) were identified using microRNAs (miRNAs). miR-21-5p and miR-146a-5p showed significant upregulation in CT/HIV patients, suggesting their potential as diagnostic markers.

Area of Science:

  • * Infectious Diseases
  • * Molecular Biology
  • * Immunology

Background:

  • * Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a significant opportunistic infection in individuals with HIV/AIDS.
  • * Accurate and early diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis/HIV co-infection (CT/HIV) is crucial for effective treatment and patient outcomes.
  • * MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as potential biomarkers for various diseases due to their role in gene regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the potential of five specific miRNA candidates (miR-155-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-125b-5p, and miR-29c-3p) as biomarkers for CT/HIV.
  • * To compare miRNA expression profiles in patients with CT/HIV, asymptomatic toxoplasmosis (AT), and healthy controls (NC).

Main Methods:

  • * Plasma samples were collected from 79 participants categorized into CT/HIV (n=32), AT (n=27), and NC (n=20) groups.
  • * miRNA expression levels were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and expressed as Relative Quantification (RQ).
  • * Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney tests to determine significant differences between groups.

Main Results:

  • * miR-21-5p and miR-146a-5p were significantly upregulated in the CT/HIV group compared to both AT and NC groups (RQ values: CT/HIV vs. AT for miR-21-5p = 3.829 vs. 1.815; for miR-146a-5p = 2.500 vs. 1.661).
  • * miR-29c-3p, miR-155-5p, and miR-125b-5p showed similar expression levels between CT/HIV and AT groups, but differed from the NC group.
  • * Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences in miRNA expression between the three study groups.

Conclusions:

  • * The study identified miR-21-5p and miR-146a-5p as promising candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis in HIV-infected individuals.
  • * The observed miRNA modulation suggests a role for host miRNAs in the pathogenesis of Toxoplasma gondii infection.
  • * Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore their clinical utility in CT/HIV management.
Keywords:
cerebral toxoplasmosiscytokine regulationextracellular miRNAgene expression

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