Different
miRNAs are involved in the life cycles of Schistosoma japonicum. The aim of this study was to examine the expression profile of
miRNAs in individual S. japonicum of different sex before and after pairing (18 and 24 dpi). The majority of differential expressed
miRNAs were highly abundant at 14 dpi, except for sja-miR-125b and sja-miR-3505, in both male and female. Moreover, it was estimated that sja-miR-125b and sja-miR-3505 might be related to laying eggs. sja-miR-2a-5p and sja-miR-3484-5p were expressed at 14 dpi in males and were significantly clustered in
DNA topoisomerase III, Rap
guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 and
L-serine/
L-threonine ammonia-lyase. Target genes of sja-miR-2d-5p, sja-miR-31- 5p and sja-miR-125a, which were expressed at 14 dpi in males but particularly females, were clustered in kelch-like
protein 12,
fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, class I, and
heat shock protein 90 kDa beta. Predicted target genes of sja-miR-3483-3p (expressed at 28 dpi in females but not in males) were clustered in
26S proteasome regulatory subunit N1, ATPdependent
RNA helicase DDX17. Predicted target genes of sja-miR-219-5p, which were differentially expressed at 28 dpi in females but particularly males, were clustered in
DNA excision repair
protein ERCC-6,
protein phosphatase 1D, and
ATPase family AAA domaincontaining
protein 3A/B. Moreover, at 28 dpi, eight
miRNAs were significantly up-regulated in females compared to males. The predicted target genes of these
miRNAs were significantly clustered in
heat shock protein 90 kDa beta,
26S proteasome regulatory subunit N1, and
protein arginine N-methyltransferase 1. To sum up, differentially expressed
miRNAs may have an essential role and provide necessary information on clarifying this trematode's growth, development, maturation, and
infection ability to mammalian hosts in its complex life cycle, and may be helpful for developing new
drug targets and
vaccine candidates for
schistosomiasis.