BACKGROUND Increasing evidence has shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in neurodegenerative disorders, but their roles in neurological toxoplasmosis are yet to know. This study examined miRNA and circRNA expressions in mouse brain following oral infection with T. gondii Pru strain. RESULTS Total RNA extracted from acutely infected (11 days post infection (DPI)), chronically infected (35 DPI) and uninfected mouse brain samples were subjected to genome-wide small RNA sequencing. In the acutely infected mice, 9 circRNAs and 20 miRNAs were upregulated, whereas 67 circRNAs and 28 miRNAs were downregulated. In the chronically infected mice, 2 circRNAs and 42 miRNAs were upregulated, whereas 1 circRNA and 29 miRNAs were downregulated. Gene ontology analysis predicted that the host genes that produced the dysregulated circRNAs in the acutely infected brain were primarily involved in response to stimulus and ion binding activities. Furthermore, predictive interaction networks of circRNA-miRNA and miRNA-mRNA were constructed based on genome-wide transcriptome sequencing and computational analyses, which might suggest the putative functions of miRNAs and circRNAs as a large class of post-transcriptional regulators. CONCLUSIONS These findings will shed light on circRNA-miRNA interactions during the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis, and they will lay solid foundation for studying the potential regulation roles of miRNAs and circRNAs in T. gondii induced pathogenesis.

中文翻译：

---

弓形虫病发生期间小鼠大脑中的miRNA和circRNA表达模式。

背景技术越来越多的证据表明，环状RNA（circRNA）与神经退行性疾病有关，但是它们在神经弓形虫病中的作用尚不清楚。这项研究检查了口腔感染弓形虫Pru株后小鼠大脑中miRNA和circRNA的表达。结果对急性感染（感染后11天），慢性感染（35 DPI）和未感染小鼠脑样本中提取的总RNA进行全基因组小RNA测序。在急性感染的小鼠中，上调了9个circRNA和20个miRNA，而下调了67个circRNA和28个miRNA。在慢性感染的小鼠中，上调2个circRNA和42个miRNA，而下调1个circRNA和29个miRNA。基因本体分析预测，在急性感染的大脑中产生circRNA失调的宿主基因主要参与对刺激和离子结合活性的反应。此外，基于全基因组转录组测序和计算分析构建了circRNA-miRNA和miRNA-mRNA的预测相互作用网络，这可能暗示了miRNA和circRNA作为一类转录后调节因子的推定功能。结论这些发现将为弓形虫病发病过程中circRNA-miRNA的相互作用提供启示，并为研究miRNA和circRNA在弓形虫诱导的发病机理中的潜在调控作用奠定坚实的基础。基于全基因组转录组测序和计算分析构建了circRNA-miRNA和miRNA-mRNA的预测相互作用网络，这可能暗示了miRNA和circRNA作为一类转录后调节因子的推定功能。结论这些发现将为弓形虫病发病过程中circRNA-miRNA的相互作用提供启示，并为研究miRNA和circRNA在弓形虫诱导的发病机理中的潜在调控作用奠定坚实的基础。基于全基因组转录组测序和计算分析，构建了circRNA-miRNA和miRNA-mRNA的预测相互作用网络，这可能暗示了miRNA和circRNA作为一类转录后调节因子的推定功能。结论这些发现将为弓形虫病发病过程中circRNA-miRNA的相互作用提供启示，并为研究miRNA和circRNA在弓形虫诱导的发病机理中的潜在调控作用奠定坚实的基础。