University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Schistosoma sex-biased microRNAs regulate ovarian development and egg production by targeting Wnt signaling pathway Adult Schistosoma produces a large number of eggs that play essential roles in host pathology and disease dissemination. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms of sexual maturation and egg production may open a new avenue for controlling schistosomiasis. Here, we describe that Bantam miRNA and miR-1989 regulate Wnt signaling pathway by targeting Frizzled-5/7/9, which is involved in ovarian development and oviposition. Additionally, Frizzled-7 could cooperate with SjRho to maintain normal ovarian development and egg productions and SjRho may interact with Hsp60 to potentially support Frizzled-7 trafficking and signaling. Further in vivo inhibition of SjRho in mice model infected with Schistosoma results in a remarkable decrease in worm burden and egg productions. Our findings not only broaden the functions of Bantam miRNA and miR-1989 as well as Wnt signaling pathway, but also imply that interruption of Bantam/miR-1989-Frizzled-5/7/9-SjRho axis may serve as effective targets against schistosomiasis. en TEXT journal article Wissenschaftlicher Artikel Text Wissenschaftlicher Artikel Text journal article Animals Female Frizzled Receptors Genetics Frizzled Receptors Metabolism Male Mice MicroRNAs* Genetics MicroRNAs* Metabolism Ovary Growth & Development Ovary Metabolism Ovum Growth & Development Ovum Metabolism Schistosoma Genetics Schistosoma Growth & Development Schistosoma Pphysiology Schistosoma Mansoni Genetics Schistosoma Mansoni Growth & Development Wnt Signaling Pathway 2024 2024 Pengfei Du Tianqi Xia Xuxin Li Bikash R. Giri Chuantao Fang Shun Li Shi Yan Guofeng Cheng Springer Nature