Modulation of microRNAs and claudin-7 in Caco-2 cell line treated with Blastocystis sp., subtype 3 soluble total antigen

• Published in: BMC microbiology Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 111 - 11
• Main Authors: Mohammad Rahimi, Hanieh, Yadegar, Abbas, Asadzadeh Aghdaei, Hamid, Mirjalali, Hamed, Zali, Mohammad Reza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 22.04.2022; BioMed Central Ltd; Springer Nature B.V; BMC
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Antibiotics; Antigens; Asymptomatic; Biological Microscopy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blastocystis; Blastocystis - genetics; Blastocystis sp., ST3; Caco-2 Cells; Cell culture; Claudin-7; Claudins - genetics; Cytokines; Digestive system; Ethics; Gastroenterology; Gastrointestinal tract; Health aspects; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin 15; Interleukin 8; Interleukin-8 - genetics; Intestinal permeability; Intestine; Large intestine; Life Sciences; Liver diseases; Measurement; Microbiology; MicroRNA; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; miRNA; Mycology; Occludin - metabolism; Parasites; Parasitology; Pathogenesis; Permeability; Research centers; Statistical analysis; Testing; Thawing; Virology; Iran; Denmark; United States > US; Germany; Inflammation; MicroRNA; Claudin-7; sp., ST3; Intestinal permeability; Blastocystis sp., ST3
• ISSN: 1471-2180; 1471-2180
• DOI: 10.1186/s12866-022-02528-8

Background Blastocystis sp., is a eukaryote of the large intestine, which is reported from almost all countries. The pathogenesis of this protist is not clear. The current study aimed to analyze the effects of Blastocystis sp., ST3 soluble total antigen (B3STA) on the microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the gut permeability and also pro-inflammatory cytokines, occludin, and claudin-7. Methods Blastocystis sp., ST3 isolated from stool sample was purified, and its soluble total antigen was extracted using freeze and thawing. The Caco-2 cell line was treated with B3STA for 24 h and the expression levels of mir-16, mir-21, mir-29a, mir-223, and mir-874 were analyzed. In addition, the expression levels of il -8 , il -15 ,  occludin , and claudin-7 genes were assessed. Results B3STA significantly upregulated the expression of mir-223, and mir-874, and downregulated mir-29a. The expression of mir-16 and mir-21 was not significant. In addition, the expression of il -8 and il -15 was not significant. B3STA significantly decreased the expression level of  claudin-7 ( P -value < 0.0001), but the expression of  occludin  was not significant. Our results showed significant correlation between all studied miRNAs, except mir-29a, with downregulation of  claudin-7 . Conclusions This is the first study investigating the effects of Blastocystis sp., ST3 isolated from symptomatic subjects on the expression levels of miRNAs involved in the gut permeability. Our results demonstrated that B3STA may change miRNA expression, which are involved in the gut barrier integrity, and downregulates  claudin -7 , which is known as sealing factor.