miRNA 511_5p is a potential biomarker for ocular toxoplasmosis

Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is a frequent clinical manifestation due to infection by Toxoplasma gondii. It is characterized by an inflammatory process involving macrophages activated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. The expression of microRNAs takes place during the inflammatory process and, among them, miRNA 511 regulates the activation of macrophages. This study evaluated the expression of miRNA 511_5p in patients with OT and healthy controls.

A total of 361 patients from the Hospital de Base of Fundação Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto were enrolled and divided into four groups: G1-patients with active ocular lesions and reagent serology for T. gondii; G2-patients with scars and reagent serology for T. gondii; G3-patients without ocular lesions or scars and reagent serology for T. gondii; G4-patients without ocular lesions or scars and non-reagent serology for T. gondii. All patients underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation to confirm the diagnosis of OT. Serology tests, RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed.

The miRNA 511_5p levels were compared among the groups. The G1 group showed a high blood plasma concentration of miRNA 511_5p (mean 22.34) compared with the G2 (4.65), G3 (8.91) and G4 (3.52) groups (p<0.0001).

These data suggest that miRNA 511_5p has significant potential as a biomarker for OT.