Exosomal microRNA profiling reveals candidate biomarkers and regulatory signatures associated with paratuberculosis disease status in goats

Eun-Yeong Bok; Tae Yoon Kim; Sang-Young Seo; Han-Gyu Lee; Young-Hun Jung; Seong Hwan Bae; Nam Su Oh; Tae Jin Cho; Hyeon Woo Park; Eui Cheol Shin; Jae Kyeom Kim

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2026.106553

Exosomal microRNA profiling reveals candidate biomarkers and regulatory signatures associated with paratuberculosis disease status in goats

Vet J. 2026 Jan 9:315:106553. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2026.106553. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Diseases & Health, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea.
² Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea.
³ Department of GreenBio Science/Food Science and Technology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. Electronic address: jkkim@udel.edu.

PMID: 41520870
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2026.106553

Abstract

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), a chronic granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is difficult to diagnose in the subclinical stage(s) because of intermittent shedding and nonspecific immune responses. Given their stability and potential as biomarkers, exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) were investigated in this study to identify serum-derived candidates associated with Paratuberculosis-associated disease stages in goats. Exosomes were isolated from the serum of three groups: Control (ELISA- and PCR-negative), ENPP (ELISA-negative but PCR-positive), and EPPP (ELISA- and PCR-positive). After exosome characterization, small RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and their predicted regulatory targets. Functional enrichment, upstream regulator, and network analyses were then applied to interpret the biological relevance of the identified DEmiRs. Among the candidates, miR-122 and miR-21-5p were consistently upregulated in infected animals and were associated with immune modulation, epithelial integrity, and inflammation. Finally, quantitative PCR validation confirmed a significant elevation of these miRNAs in the EPPP group, supporting their potential as late-stage biomarkers. Our findings demonstrate that exosomal miRNA profiling can reflect MAP infection status and highlight their potential utility as non-invasive biomarkers for Paratuberculosis monitoring in veterinary settings.

Keywords: Biomarker; Exosome; Goat; MicroRNA; Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis; Paratuberculosis.