Plasmodium falciparum infection reshapes the human microRNA profiles of red blood cells and their extracellular vesicles

• Published in: iScience 2023-07, Vol.26 (7), p.107119-107119, Article 107119
• Main Authors: Wu, Yifan, Leyk, Stephanie, Torabi, Hanifeh, Höhn, Katharina, Honecker, Barbara, Tauler, Maria del Pilar Martinez, Cadar, Dániel, Jacobs, Thomas, Bruchhaus, Iris, Metwally, Nahla Galal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cell biology; Parasitology
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107119

Plasmodium falciparum, a human malaria parasite, develops in red blood cells (RBCs), which represent approximately 70% of all human blood cells. Additionally, RBC-derived extracellular vesicles (RBC-EVs) represent 7.3% of the total EV population. The roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the consequences of P. falciparum infection are unclear. Here, we analyzed the miRNA profiles of non-infected human RBCs (niRBCs), ring-infected RBCs (riRBCs), and trophozoite-infected RBCs (trRBCs), as well as those of EVs secreted from these cells. Hsa-miR-451a was the most abundant miRNA in all RBC and RBC-EV populations, but its expression level was not affected by P. falciparum infection. Overall, the miRNA profiles of RBCs and their EVs were altered significantly after infection. Most of the differentially expressed miRNAs were shared between RBCs and their EVs. A target prediction analysis of the miRNAs revealed the possible identity of the genes targeted by these miRNAs (CXCL10, OAS1, IL7, and CCL5) involved in immunomodulation. [Display omitted] •Nine miRNAs were highly expressed in red blood cells after P. falciparum infection•Members of the let-7 family were downregulated in red blood cells after infection•Hsa-miR-451a was the most abundant secreted miRNA within RBCs•The identified miRNAs target genes that play roles in immune responses Parasitology; Cell biology