Text Wissenschaftlicher Artikel application/pdf Schistosoma sex-biased microRNAs regulate ovarian development and egg production by targeting Wnt signaling pathway © The Author(s) 2024 open access doi:10.1038/s42003-024-07402-z eng 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. Communications Biology Springer Nature 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 Text journal article http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ 2024 Pengfei Du Tianqi Xia Xuxin Li Bikash R. Giri Chuantao Fang Shun Li Shi Yan Guofeng Cheng https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3851