Transcriptomics of Besnoitia besnoiti-Infected Fibroblasts Reveals Hallmarks of Early Fibrosis and Cancer Progression

Endothelial injury, inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis are the predominant lesions in the testis of bulls with besnoitiosis that may result in sterility. Moreover, fibroblasts, which are key players in fibrosis, are parasite target cells in a Besnoitia besnoiti chronic infection. This study aimed...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fernández Álvarez, María, Horcajo Iglesias, María Del Pilar, Jiménez Meléndez, Alejandro, Ferré Pérez, Ignacio, Ortega Mora, Luis Miguel, Álvarez García, Gema, Angulo Lara, Pablo, Huertas López, Ana, Huertas López, Francisco
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/103141
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/103141
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:636.09
Besnoitia besnoiti
bovine aorta fibroblasts
RNA-Seq
early fibrosis
MAPK signaling
TGFβ
cancer progression
Veterinaria
Ganado vacuno
Parasitología (Veterinaria)
3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
3104.02 Bovinos
Descripción
Sumario:Endothelial injury, inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis are the predominant lesions in the testis of bulls with besnoitiosis that may result in sterility. Moreover, fibroblasts, which are key players in fibrosis, are parasite target cells in a Besnoitia besnoiti chronic infection. This study aimed to decipher the molecular basis that underlies a drift toward fibrosis during the disease progression. Transcriptomic analysis was developed at two times post-infection (p.i.), representative of invasion (12 h p.i.) and intracellular proliferation (32 h p.i.), in primary bovine aorta fibroblasts infected with B. besnoiti tachyzoites. Once the enriched host pathways were identified, we studied the expression of selected differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the scrotal skin of sterile infected bulls. Functional enrichment analyses of DEGs revealed shared hallmarks of cancer and early fibrosis. Biomarkers of inflammation, angiogenesis, cancer, and MAPK signaling stood out at 12 h p.i. At 32 h p.i., again MAPK and cancer pathways were enriched together with the PI3K–AKT pathway related to cell proliferation. Some DEGs were also regulated in the skin samples of naturally infected bulls (PLAUR, TGFβ1, FOSB). We have identified potential biomarkers and host pathways regulated during fibrosis that may hold prognostic significance and could emerge as potential therapeutic targets.