Co-expression analysis of lncRNA and mRNA suggests a role for ncRNA-mediated regulation of host-parasite interactions in primary skin lesions of patients with American tegumentary leishmaniasis

Autor(es)

Almeida, Mariana Cordeiro ; Felix, Juliana de Souza ; Lopes, Maria Fernanda da Silva ; Athayde, Flavia Regina Florencio de ; Troiano, Jessica Antonini ; Scaramele, Natalia Francisco ; Furlan, Amanda de Oliveira ; Lopes, Flavia Lombardi

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Acta Tropica; v. 245, p. 7-pg., 2023-06-16.

Resumo

Leishmaniasis, caused by different Leishmania species, manifests as cutaneous or visceral forms. In the American continent, the cutaneous form is called American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) and is primarily caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Mucosal leishmaniasis (ML), the most severe form of ATL, arises in approxi-mately 20% of patients from a primary cutaneous lesion. Evidence indicates changes in overall expression patterns of mRNAs and lncRNAs of the host in response to Leishmania infection, with the parasite capable of modulating host immune response, which may contribute to disease progression. We evaluated whether the co-expression of lncRNAs and their putative target mRNAs in primary cutaneous lesions of patients with ATL could be associated with the development of ML. Previously available public RNA-Seq data from primary skin lesions of patients infected with L. braziliensis was employed. We identified 579 mRNAs and 46 lncRNAs differentially expressed in the primary lesion that subsequently progressed to mucosal disease. Co-expression analysis revealed 1324 significantly correlated lncRNA-mRNA pairs. Among these, we highlight the positive correlation and trans- action between lncRNA SNHG29 and mRNA S100A8, both upregulated in the ML group. S100A8 and its het-erodimeric partner S100A9 form a pro-inflammatory complex expressed by immune cells and seems to partic-ipate in host innate immune response processes of infection. These findings expand the knowledge of the Leishmania-host interaction and indicate that the expression of lncRNAs in the primary cutaneous lesion could regulate mRNAs and play roles in disease progression. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 19/13541-6 - Expressão de RNAs longos não-codificadores em pacientes infectados por leishmaniose tegumentar
• Beneficiário: Mariana Cordeiro Almeida
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Iniciação Científica