PLoS ONE (Jan 2014)

The gene expression profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from EV71-infected rhesus infants and the significance in viral pathogenesis.

  • Ying Zhang,
  • Erxia Yang,
  • Jing Pu,
  • Longding Liu,
  • Yanchun Che,
  • Jingjing Wang,
  • Yun Liao,
  • Lichun Wang,
  • Dong Ding,
  • Ting Zhao,
  • Na Ma,
  • Ming Song,
  • Xi Wang,
  • Dong Shen,
  • Donghong Tang,
  • Hongtai Huang,
  • Zhixiao Zhang,
  • Dai Chen,
  • Mingfei Feng,
  • Qihan Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083766
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
p. e83766

Abstract

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Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major pathogen responsible for fatal hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Our previous work reported on an EV71-infected rhesus monkey infant model that presented with histo-pathologic changes of the central nervous system (CNS) and lungs. This study is focused on the correlated modulation of gene expression in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from EV71-infected rhesus monkey infants. The expression of more than 500 functional genes associated with multiple pathways was modulated. The expression of genes associated with immune inflammatory responses was up-regulated during the period from days 4 to 10 post-infection. The expression of two genes (TAC1 and IL17A), which play major roles in inflammatory reactions, was remarkably up-regulated during the infection period. Furthermore, a higher expression level of the TAC1 gene was identified in the CNS compared to the lungs, but a high expression level of the IL-17A gene was observed in the lungs and not in the CNS. The results of this study suggest at least two facts about EV71 infection, which are that: the TAC1 gene that encodes substance P and neurokinin-A is present in both PBMCs and the hypothalamus; and the up-regulation of IL-17A is sustained in the peripheral blood.