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. 2021 Feb 10;58(1):28-40.
doi: 10.2478/helm-2021-0009. eCollection 2021 Mar.

Epigenetic Markers Associated with Schistosomiasis

R A Gomes Assenço  1 , E Alves Mota  2 , V F De Oliveira  2   3 , W De Castro Borges  1   4 , R Guerra-Sá  1   2
Affiliations

Epigenetic Markers Associated with Schistosomiasis

R A Gomes Assenço et al. Helminthologia. .

Abstract

It is important to consider the use of the epigenome as source of complementary data for genome knowledge, which is suitable for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Usually, a laboratory diagnosis of schistosomiasis is performed by means of 1. Egg detection in the stool or urine by microscopy remains with limited sensitivity; 2. Immunological screening, in which positivity persists after treatment, and 3. Molecular appraisals prevail over the disadvantages of the currently used methods. In this sense, molecular methodologies are being developed based on epigenetic biomarkers, aiming to improve the diagnosis of the disease and clinical treatment as early as possible to prevent the occurrence of serious liver damage.

Keywords: DNA methylation; Schistosomiasis; epigenetic markers; histone modification; miRNAs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Epigenetic regulation throughout the S. mansoni cycle: The figure shows some epigenetic marks enriched in the different stages of S. mansoni and some miRNAs involved in parasite-host interaction. Larval stage mucins (SmPoMuc) interact with snail immunity proteins. The intermediate host has downregulation of several miRNA and piRNA biogenesis pathway proteins during miracidium penetration and also during the subsequent stages of development. The most enriched epigenetic marks in cercariae are characteristics of gene silencing. In schistosomes, miRNAs 277 and 4989 may be related to adult worm development. In adults there is an enrichment of epigenetic marks associated with eucromatization. There are miRNAs from the parasite that have already been found in human serum and have been proposed as possible diagnostic biomarkers.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Important advances in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and Non-coding RNAs related to Schistosoma in the last 20 years.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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