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Exosomal microRNAs regulate the heat stress response in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

Da Huo1, Fang Su2, Hongsheng Yang3

  • 1CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|December 17, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Sea cucumber exosomes, identified with specific biomarkers, increase under heat stress. Their microRNAs play key roles in the sea cucumber

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Extracellular Vesicles Research

Background:

  • Exosomes are vital extracellular vesicles carrying nucleic acids like microRNAs, involved in cellular communication.
  • Sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus) are commercially important marine invertebrates.
  • Understanding stress responses in marine organisms is crucial due to climate change.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report exosomes from the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus for the first time.
  • To investigate the impact of heat stress on exosome production and microRNA profiles in A. japonicus.
  • To elucidate the role of exosome-shuttled microRNAs in the sea cucumber's response to thermal stress.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of exosomes from A. japonicus, including size and morphology analysis.
  • Identification of exosome biomarkers (HSP70, TSG101, CD9).
  • Global microRNA profiling of exosomes under normal and heat-stressed conditions (3 and 7 days).
  • Validation of microRNA expression using quantitative PCR (qPCR).
  • Bioinformatic analysis of target genes for functional insights.

Main Results:

  • Exosomes from A. japonicus were characterized as cup-shaped vesicles with an average size of 74.65 nm.
  • Heat stress significantly increased exosome production and altered microRNA expression profiles.
  • Specific microRNAs (novel_mir31, novel_mir132, novel_mir26, miR-92_1, novel_mir27) were identified as key players in the heat stress response.
  • Initial heat stress response involved target genes related to replication and repair.
  • Acclimation to high temperatures involved target genes related to metabolic adjustments.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first report of exosomes in sea cucumber, revealing their role in stress response.
  • Exosome-derived microRNAs are crucial regulators in A. japonicus' adaptation to environmental changes like heat stress.
  • Findings offer insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sea cucumber resilience to global warming-induced stresses.
Keywords:
Defense mechanismEchinodermExtracellular vesiclesMicroRNAStress responseThermal stress

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