Cotton rat lung transcriptome reveals host immune response to Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Genomics
• Animal Models

Background:

• Acute respiratory infections (ARI) caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are a leading cause of infant mortality globally.
• Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) are the established animal model for studying RSV, but a lack of a reference genome hinders comprehensive host gene expression analysis.
• Understanding the host response to RSV is crucial for developing effective treatments and preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct the first de novo lung tissue transcriptome for the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus).
• To profile the host immune response to RSV infection using the developed transcriptome.
• To identify host genes and transcripts involved in the cotton rat's response to RSV.

Main Methods:

• De novo transcriptome assembly from cotton rat lung tissue.
• Assignment of transcripts to 12,211 unique UniProt genes.
• Differential gene expression analysis following RSV infection, validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Main Results:

• The cotton rat lung transcriptome was successfully constructed, enabling gene expression studies.
• RSV infection led to the up-regulation of host genes involved in antiviral defense and immune system processes.
• Specific transcripts were identified as unique to RSV-infected cotton rats, with some showing down-regulation in later infection stages.

Conclusions:

• The developed cotton rat lung transcriptome provides a valuable resource for genome-wide host gene expression studies in RSV research.
• RSV infection elicits a robust host immune response in cotton rats, characterized by specific gene expression patterns.
• This study lays the groundwork for deeper investigation into the molecular mechanisms of RSV pathogenesis and host-virus interactions.