Detection of rRNA and tRNA fragments in exosomes collected from the peripheral blood of mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania Donovan

Small RNAs such as tRNAs and rRNAs are highly enriched in exosomes from a protozoan parasite, Leishmania species. Here, we examined the fragments of parasite tRNA and rRNA molecules by a next generation sequencing analysis in the exosomes isolated from the blood samples of mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania donovani. Detected RNA included tRNA-Glu, tRNA-Ile, tRNA-Trp, 5.8S rRNA, and 28S rRNA. The results demonstrated that parasite-derived exosomes were circulating in the mice blood. The detected molecules can be biomarkers for Leishmania infection.