Gene Expression Profiling Reveals New Pathways and Genes Associated with Visna/Maedi Viral Disease

Visna/Maedi virus (VMV) is a lentivirus that infects the cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage in sheep, goats and wild ruminants. Infection with VMV causes a multisystemic inflammatory disorder, which includes pneumonia, encephalitis, mastitis or arthritis. The immune response to VMV infection is complex, and the infection and pathogenesis of this virus are not totally characterized yet. In this work, a gene expression microarray was used to identify the differentially expressed genes in VMV infection and disease development by comparing sheep with different serologic status and with presence of VM-characteristic clinical lesions. The expression profile analysis has revealed many interesting genes that may be associated with the viral infection process. Among them, the OXT gene appeared significantly up-regulated, so the oxytocin-secreting system could play an essential role in VM disease. Moreover, some of the most significantly enriched functions in up-regulated genes appeared the complement pathway, which (in combination with the Toll-like receptor signaling network) could compose a mechanism in the VMV pathogenesis. Identifying the host genetic factors associated with VMV infection can be applied to develop strategies for preventing infection and develop effective vaccines that lead to therapeutic treatments.