Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Apr 2023)

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing and proteomics analysis in pediatric viral encephalitis and meningitis

  • Yi-Long Wang,
  • Yi-Long Wang,
  • Xiao-Tong Guo,
  • Xiao-Tong Guo,
  • Meng-Ying Zhu,
  • Meng-Ying Zhu,
  • Yu-Chen Mao,
  • Yu-Chen Mao,
  • Xue-Bin Xu,
  • Xue-Bin Xu,
  • Yi Hua,
  • Yi Hua,
  • Lu Xu,
  • Lu Xu,
  • Li-Hua Jiang,
  • Li-Hua Jiang,
  • Cong-Ying Zhao,
  • Cong-Ying Zhao,
  • Xin Zhang,
  • Xin Zhang,
  • Guo-Xia Sheng,
  • Guo-Xia Sheng,
  • Pei-Fang Jiang,
  • Pei-Fang Jiang,
  • Zhe-Feng Yuan,
  • Zhe-Feng Yuan,
  • Feng Gao,
  • Feng Gao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1104858
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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IntroductionEarly and accurate identification of pathogens is essential for improved outcomes in patients with viral encephalitis (VE) and/or viral meningitis (VM).MethodsIn our research, Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) which can identify viral pathogens unbiasedly was performed on RNA and DNA to identify potential pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 50 pediatric patients with suspected VEs and/or VMs. Then we performed proteomics analysis on the 14 HEV-positive CSF samples and another 12 CSF samples from health controls (HCs). A supervised partial least squaresdiscriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal PLS-DA (O-PLS-DA) model was performed using proteomics data.ResultsTen viruses in 48% patients were identified and the most common pathogen was human enterovirus (HEV) Echo18. 11 proteins overlapping between the top 20 DEPs in terms of P value and FC and the top 20 proteins in PLS-DA VIP lists were acquired.DiscussionOur result showed mNGS has certain advantages on pathogens identification in VE and VM and our research established a foundation to identify diagnosis biomarker candidates of HEV-positive meningitis based on MS-based proteomics analysis, which could also contribute toward investigating the HEV-specific host response patterns.

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