Project description:Liver Macrophage Infiltration and Inflammation are associated with Antiviral Responses During SIV Infection in Macaques that is Only Partly Reduced during cART
Project description:Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) infected with a lethal dose of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-strain WE (LCMV-WE) provide a model for Lassa fever virus infection of man. Like Lassa fever in human beings, disease begins with flu-like symptoms but can progress to morbidity fairly rapidly. Previously, we profiled the blood transcriptome of LCMV-infected monkeys (M. Djavani et al. J. Virol. 2007: PMID 17522210) showing distinct pre-viremic and viremic stages that discriminated between virulent and benign infections. In the present study, changes in liver gene expression from macaques infected with virulent LCMV-WE were compared to gene expression in uninfected monkeys as well as to monkeys that were infected but not diseased. We observed gene expression changes that occurred before the viremic stage of the disease, and could potentially serve as biomarkers that discriminate between exposure to a hemorrhagic fever virus and exposure to a benign virus. Based on a functional pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes, virulent LCMV-WE had a much broader effect on liver cell function than non-virulent virus. During the first few days of infection, virulent virus impacted gene expression associated with the generation of energy, such as fatty acid metabolism and glucose metabolism, with the complement and coagulation cascades, and with steroid metabolism, MAPK signaling and cell adhesion. For example, the energy profile resembled that of an organism entering starvation: acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a key enzyme of fatty acid synthesis, was shut down and gene products involved in gluconeogenesis were up-regulated. In conclusion, this study identifies several potential gene markers of LCMV-WE-associated liver disease and contributes to the database of gene expression changes correlated with LCMV pathogenesis in primates. 6 groups: uninfected controls, LCMV-WE infected (pre-viremic; day 1 to day 3), LCMV-WE infected (viremic; day 4 to day 7), LCMV-WE infected (post-viremic; day 8 to day 12), LCMV-Armstrong (LCMV-ARM; non-virulent strain) infected, and LCMV-ARM/LCMV-WE infected but not diseased. Each sample is from the liver of a different rhesus macaque.
Project description:This study describes differential miRNA expression in intact colon tissue during chronic SIV infection of rhesus macaques. Ten miRNAs were found to be significantly affected by infection, with 7 down-regulated and 3 up-regulated miRNAs. The expression of one upregulated miRNA was further characterized and found to be upregulated in both colonic epithelium and lamain propria cells. Further, its expression positively correlated with colonic inflammation scores and viral loads. Additional studies suggested that its expression was driven in response to oxidative stress induced double stranded DNA damage response and may play a role in chronic activation of colonic plasma cells.
Project description:Microarray analysis of the transcriptome in the primate corpus luteum during chorionic gonadotropin administration simulating early pregnancy.
Project description:A NanoString targeted gene panel was used to elucidate the transcriptomic changes occurring in non-human primate whole blood during Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus infection.
Project description:Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne virus that can cause a hemorrhagic fever in humans, with a case fatality rate of up to 50%. Cases of CCHFV have been reported in Africa, Asia, and southern Europe; and recently, due to the expanding range of its vector, autochthonous cases have been reported in Spain. Although it was discovered over 70 years ago, our understanding of the pathogenesis of this virus remains limited. We used RNA-Seq in two human liver cell lines (HepG2 and Huh7) infected with CCHFV (strain Ib 10200), to examine kinetic changes in host expression and viral replication simultaneously at 24 and 72 hours post infection. Through this, numerous host pathways were identified that were modulated by the virus including: antiviral response and endothelial cell leakage. Notably, DDX60, a cytosolic component of the RIG-I signalling pathway and OAS2 were both shown to be dysregulated. Interestingly, the PTPRR gene was induced in Huh7 cells. This has been associated with the TLR9 signalling cascade, and polymorphisms in the TLR9 gene have been associated with poor outcomes in patients. Additionally, we whole-genome sequenced CCHFV to assess viral diversity over time, and its relationship to the host response. As a result, we have demonstrated that through next-generation mRNA deep-sequencing it is possible to not only examine mRNA gene expression, but also to examine viral evolution. This demonstrates a proof-of-principle that specimens can be analyzed to identify both the virus, and host biomarkers that may have implications for prognosis.