ABSTRACT: Systematic discovery of spleen miRNAs involved in host response to avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) by deep sequencing and integrated analysis
Project description:Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is considered one of the most common infectious bacterial diseases resulting in significant economic losses in poultry industry worldwide. In order to investigate the association between host immune resistance and miRNA expression in the pathogenic process induced by APEC, miRNA expression profiles in broilers spleen were performed by Solexa deep sequencing from three different treatment groups including non-challenged (NC), challenged-mild pathology (MD), and challenged-severe pathology (SV).In total, 3 462 706, 3 586 689, and 3 591 027 clean reads were obtained for NC, MD, and SV, respectively. After comparing the miRNA expression patterns, 27 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified among the three response groups, which included 13 miRNAs between NC and MD, 17 between NC and SV, and 14 between MD and SV. For these miRNAs, different expression in MD and SV suggested they may have resistance activity in APEC infection. Through integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression patterns, 43 negative pairs between miRNA and mRNA (r < -0.80) were obtained. 4 miRNAs were validated to be significant negatively correlated to targets by quantitative real time PCR: gga-miR-21 (CLEC3B and GGTLA1), gga-miR-429 (TMEFF2, CDC20, SHISA2 and NOX4), gga-miR-146b (LAT2 and WNK1), and gga-miR-215 (C7 and ASL2). Additionally, the expression of gga-miR-21 and gga-miR-146b was significantly up-regulated by LPS induced in HD11 macrophage cell. In contrast, gga-miR-429 has no significant change. In summary, we present the first report that characterized the miRNA profiles of chicken spleen in response to APEC infection, and identified several candidate miRNAs which might accelerate host immune response through down-regulating their specific target genes. Through the intra-air sac route into the left thoracic air sac, 240 non-vaccinated males at 4 weeks of age were challenged with 0.1 ml APEC O1 (10^8 colony forming units) and another 120 non-vaccinated males were non-challenged but treated with 0.1 ml PBS. Detailed information on the APEC O1 strain and challenge process was described by previously described study. Necropsy was performed at 1 day post challenge, and a summarized lesion ranging from 0 to 7 was determined for each APEC-challenged bird. Birds with lesions scoring 0-2 were regarded as mild infection, and those scoring 4-7 were designated as severe infection. The mild and severe pathology meant that birds were resistant and susceptible to APEC infection, respectively. Then, spleens from three groups, consisting of non-challenged, challenged-mild pathology and challenged-severe pathology were subjected to Solexa deep sequencing to investigate the dynamics of chicken miRNA expression.
Project description:Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is considered one of the most common infectious bacterial diseases resulting in significant economic losses in poultry industry worldwide. In order to investigate the association between host immune resistance and miRNA expression in the pathogenic process induced by APEC, miRNA expression profiles in broilers spleen were performed by Solexa deep sequencing from three different treatment groups including non-challenged (NC), challenged-mild pathology (MD), and challenged-severe pathology (SV).In total, 3 462 706, 3 586 689, and 3 591 027 clean reads were obtained for NC, MD, and SV, respectively. After comparing the miRNA expression patterns, 27 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified among the three response groups, which included 13 miRNAs between NC and MD, 17 between NC and SV, and 14 between MD and SV. For these miRNAs, different expression in MD and SV suggested they may have resistance activity in APEC infection. Through integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression patterns, 43 negative pairs between miRNA and mRNA (r < -0.80) were obtained. 4 miRNAs were validated to be significant negatively correlated to targets by quantitative real time PCR: gga-miR-21 (CLEC3B and GGTLA1), gga-miR-429 (TMEFF2, CDC20, SHISA2 and NOX4), gga-miR-146b (LAT2 and WNK1), and gga-miR-215 (C7 and ASL2). Additionally, the expression of gga-miR-21 and gga-miR-146b was significantly up-regulated by LPS induced in HD11 macrophage cell. In contrast, gga-miR-429 has no significant change. In summary, we present the first report that characterized the miRNA profiles of chicken spleen in response to APEC infection, and identified several candidate miRNAs which might accelerate host immune response through down-regulating their specific target genes.
Project description:Colisepticemia caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) results in annual multimillion dollar losses to the poultry industry. Recent research suggests that APEC may have an important role in public health as well. Generally, colisepticemia follows a respiratory tract infection in which APEC penetrate the respiratory epithelium to enter the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, bacteria may spread to various internal organs resulting in perihepatitis, pericarditis, and other conditions. The aim of this study was to identify molecular mechanisms enabling APEC to survive and grow in the bloodstream. To do so, we compared the transcriptome of APEC O1 during growth in Luria-Bertani broth and chicken serum. Selected genes that were significantly up-regulated in chicken serum were then subjected to mutational analysis to confirm their role in APEC pathogenesis. Several categories of genes, predicted to contribute to adaptation and growth in the avian host, were identified. These included several known virulence genes and genes involved in adaptive metabolism, protein transport, biosynthesis pathways, stress resistance, and virulence regulation. Several genes with unknown function, which were localized to pathogenicity islands or APEC O1’s large virulence plasmid, were also identified, suggesting that they too contribute to survival in chicken serum. This genome-wide analysis provides novel insight into processes that are essential to APEC O1’s survival and growth in chicken serum. Two-condition experiment: LB vs. chicken serm; four biological replicates, independently grown and harvested.
Project description:Colisepticemia caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) results in annual multimillion dollar losses to the poultry industry. Recent research suggests that APEC may have an important role in public health as well. Generally, colisepticemia follows a respiratory tract infection in which APEC penetrate the respiratory epithelium to enter the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, bacteria may spread to various internal organs resulting in perihepatitis, pericarditis, and other conditions. The aim of this study was to identify molecular mechanisms enabling APEC to survive and grow in the bloodstream. To do so, we compared the transcriptome of APEC O1 during growth in Luria-Bertani broth and chicken serum. Selected genes that were significantly up-regulated in chicken serum were then subjected to mutational analysis to confirm their role in APEC pathogenesis. Several categories of genes, predicted to contribute to adaptation and growth in the avian host, were identified. These included several known virulence genes and genes involved in adaptive metabolism, protein transport, biosynthesis pathways, stress resistance, and virulence regulation. Several genes with unknown function, which were localized to pathogenicity islands or APEC O1’s large virulence plasmid, were also identified, suggesting that they too contribute to survival in chicken serum. This genome-wide analysis provides novel insight into processes that are essential to APEC O1’s survival and growth in chicken serum.
Project description:Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a subset of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli that causes detrimental losses to the poultry industry. Vaccines to reduce APEC in chickens have been partially successful, but many lack protection against multiple serotypes of APEC. Recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine (RASV) strains have been used to induce immunity against Salmonella in production chickens and can be modified to deliver foreign antigens as well. This study evaluated the transcriptome of chicken spleens and assessed prevention of APEC infection following vaccination with RASV strains, including a RASV carrying an E. coli antigen. Four-day-old White Leghorn chicks were orally vaccinated with RASV c8025(pYA3337) carrying an empty plasmid, c8025(pYA4428) carrying genes for E. coli common pilus (ECP), a combination of RASVs c8025(pYA3337) and c8025(pYA4428), or PBS (unvaccinated). To assess the host response to vaccination, antibody titers were measured by ELISA and spleen samples (n = 5) were collected from combination vaccinated and unvaccinated groups of four-week-old chickens for RNA sequencing. Five-week old chickens were challenged via air sac with APEC strains APEC-O2 and c7122 (O78). Blood was obtained 24 hours post-challenge, heart, liver, lung, and spleen were collected 48 hours post-challenge for enumeration of E. coli, and gross colibacillosis lesions were scored at necropsy. Chickens vaccinated with RASV strains elicited anti-E. coli EcpA, as well as cross reactive anti-E. coli IutA and IroN IgY antibodies. IgA results. In some organs, bacterial loads and lesions scores were numerically reduced, but no significant differences were detected for vaccinated compared to unvaccinated chickens. Transcriptome results. This data indicates that RASVs could be used to stimulate the immune system and is an initial step toward developing improved therapeutics to combat APEC infections in chickens.
Project description:H5N1 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has been spreading to Asia, Eurasia and African coutries. An original or six of recombinant H5N1 subtype influenza viruses with varying survivability were infected to chickens for elucidating genes correlated with pathogenicity.