Table 4.

Representative studies using RNA interference to manipulate schistosome genes.

RNAi Strategy	Development stage	Target gene(s)	Outcome	Reference
dsRNAa incubated with miracidia	Miracidia and sporocytes	CD36-like class B scavenger receptor (SRB)	Significant reduction in acetylated low-density lipoprotein binding to sporocysts	[131]
dsRNA incubated with miracidia	Miracidia and sporocytes	SGTP1	40 % reduction in Larval glucose uptake capacity.	[116]
dsRNA incubated with cercariae	Cercariae and transformed schistosomula	Cathepsin B	Potent suppression of cognate enzyme	[83]
dsRNA or siRNAb incubation with or electroporation of the worm	Cercariae, transformed schistosomula and adults	Cathepsin B	Cathepsin B was significantly suppressed up to 40 days	[138]
dsRNA incubation with 3-week-old worms	Adults	Cathepsins B1, L1 (=F), D and asparaginyl endopeptidase (legumain)	Synergistic inhibition of cathepsins D and B; reduced hemoglobin and albumin degradation, respectively.	[139]
dsRNA electroporation into schistosomula	Schistosomula	Cathespin B (SmCB1)	Significant growth retardation	[140]
dsRNA electroporation into schistosomula	Cultured schistosomula	Cathepsin D (Clan AA, Family A1) aspartic protease	Significant growth retardation in vitro; absence of accumulation of gut-localized hemozoin (lethal phenotype) in vivo	[141]
dsRNA and siRNA incubation or electroporation into worms	Cultured schistosomula and adults	Alkaline phosphatase (SmAP)	A >70 % reduction in Alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity achieved.	[142]
shRNAc electroporation into schistosomula	Transformed schistosomula	Mago nashi gene of S. japonicum	Morphological change in testicular lobes in male worms	[143]
dsRNA incubation with schistosomula	Transformed schistosomula	Thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR)	Death of parasites in vitro, within 4 days of silencing TGR	[144]
dsRNA incubation with pairs of adult worms and eggs	Adults and eggs	Inhibin/Activin (SmInAct)	SmInAct dsRNA–treated eggs failed to develop	[145]
siRNA electroporation into adults	Adults	Asparaginyl endopeptidase (SmAE) and cathepsin B1	SmAE silenced and cathepsin B1 fully processed and active	[146]
Particle bombardment of siRNA into 26–33 day old worm pairs	Adults	dTGF-β type II receptor (SmTβRII)	Reduction of gynecophoral canal protein	[147]
dsRNA incubation	Cultured schistosomula	Prx 1	Lowered survival of cultured parasites due to reduction in total enzyme activity	[148]

^adsRNA -Double stranded RNA.

^bsiRNA -Short interfering RNA.

^cshRNA -Short/Small hairpin RNA.

^dTransforming growth factor.