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Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Gene Expression Changes in Mouse Liver Tissue During Alveolar Echinococcosis
Xiongying Zhang1,2, Qing Zhang2, Na Liu2
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Genes
|July 29, 2025
Summary
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) progression involves significant gene expression changes in mouse liver tissue. This study identified key genes related to immune response and fibrosis, offering insights into AE pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by *Echinococcus multilocularis*, is a significant parasitic disease causing severe liver damage, particularly in animal husbandry regions like northwest China.
- Knowledge gaps exist regarding the molecular mechanisms and gene expression alterations during AE progression.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for developing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate transcriptome differences in mouse liver tissues during *Echinococcus multilocularis* infection using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq).
- To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the early progression of AE.
- To provide a theoretical basis for understanding AE pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a mouse model of AE through intraperitoneal injection of *Echinococcus multilocularis* protoscoleces.
- Collection of liver tissues at multiple time points (6, 12, 19, and 25 weeks post-inoculation) for transcriptome sequencing.
- Analysis of gene expression profiles using RNA-Seq, followed by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).
Main Results:
- Identification of 629 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 370 upregulated and 259 downregulated.
- Enrichment analyses revealed DEGs associated with immune system modulation, cell cycle, and fibrosis processes.
- WGCNA highlighted key genes such as *CCNA2*, *BIRC5*, *KIF2C*, *OTC*, *TLR2*, and *NCKAP1L*, potentially involved in immunoinflammatory responses to *E. multilocularis* infection.
Conclusions:
- This study provides a comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiles in AE liver tissues.
- The identified DEGs and hub genes offer valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms driving AE pathogenesis.
- Findings lay the groundwork for further research into AE molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
