[Expression characteristics of microRNA in mice with schistosomiasis and praziquantel treatment].

Objective: To investigate the expression characteristics of miR-155 and miR-146a in mice with schistosomiasis and praziquantel (PZQ) treatment.

Methods: Totally 40 BABL/c mice were divided into 4 groups: a normal group, a 6W infected group that were infected cutaneously with 10 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 6 weeks, a 12W infected group that were infected cutaneously with 10 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 12 weeks, and a praziquantel treated group that were infected cutaneously with 10 Schistosomajaponicum cercariae and intragastrically administered with PZQ (300 mg/kg/day) for 1 day in 6 weeks post-infection and continuing surviving 6 weeks. The animals were sacrificed in 6 weeks and 12 weeks post-infection respectively. The left front lobe of each liver was stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) to detect pathological lesions. The levels of mRNA expressions of miR-155, miR-146a and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6) in the liver tissue were determined by using quantitative real-time PCR.

Results: The levels of mRNA expressions of miR-155, miR-146a and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6) in the 6W infected mice were significantly higher than those of the normal mice and of the 12W infected mice. Compared with the 12W infected mice, the inflammation response of liver egg granuloma in the PZQ-treated mice was ameliorated. Furthermore, there was a marked increase in the levels of mRNA expressions of miR-155, miR-146a and three pro-inflammatory cytokines in the PZQ-treated mice compared to the 12W infected mice.

Conclusion: miR-155 and miR-146a may play a role in schistosomiasis liver inflammation response and the inflammation regulation of praziquantel treatment.