Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection

Avian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> (APEC), one of the most common pathogens, can cause localized or systemic infections and lead to significant economic losses in the poultry industry annually. Recently, evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the host immune respo...

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Main Authors: Huan Li, Jishuang Tan, Xiaoyi Li, Susan J. Lamont, Hongyan Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/2/95
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author Huan Li
Jishuang Tan
Xiaoyi Li
Susan J. Lamont
Hongyan Sun
author_facet Huan Li
Jishuang Tan
Xiaoyi Li
Susan J. Lamont
Hongyan Sun
author_sort Huan Li
collection DOAJ
description Avian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> (APEC), one of the most common pathogens, can cause localized or systemic infections and lead to significant economic losses in the poultry industry annually. Recently, evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the host immune response to bacterial infection by targeting mRNAs. However, few studies have examined the immune mechanisms of miRNAs and mRNAs in chicken lungs following APEC infection. Herein, hematoxylin–eosin staining and qRT-PCR were employed to investigate APEC-induced lung inflammation in chickens. RNAseq was used to identify the miRNAs and mRNAs expression profile between the APEC infection group (APEC) vs. the Control group (Control). The results show that APEC can induce lung lesions in chickens and increase the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL1β, IL8, IL6, and TNFα). High-quality sequencing data were obtained, of which more than 93% of the reads can be mapped to the chicken genome. A total of 22 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and 608 DE mRNAs were detected in the APEC vs. the Control. Remarkably, 23 regulatory pairs of miRNA–mRNA interactions were identified in chicken lungs upon APEC infection. Further validation revealed that gga-miR-214 could directly target the <i>RAB37</i> gene upon APEC infection to modulate the expression of inflammatory cytokine response. This study provides new insights into the host immune response to APEC infection.
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spelling doaj-art-b22b62f81475422f91aa17c4ab74492e2025-08-20T02:17:24ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-01-011229510.3390/vetsci12020095Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> InfectionHuan Li0Jishuang Tan1Xiaoyi Li2Susan J. Lamont3Hongyan Sun4School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou Polytechnic College, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaDepartment of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USACollege of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaAvian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> (APEC), one of the most common pathogens, can cause localized or systemic infections and lead to significant economic losses in the poultry industry annually. Recently, evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the host immune response to bacterial infection by targeting mRNAs. However, few studies have examined the immune mechanisms of miRNAs and mRNAs in chicken lungs following APEC infection. Herein, hematoxylin–eosin staining and qRT-PCR were employed to investigate APEC-induced lung inflammation in chickens. RNAseq was used to identify the miRNAs and mRNAs expression profile between the APEC infection group (APEC) vs. the Control group (Control). The results show that APEC can induce lung lesions in chickens and increase the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL1β, IL8, IL6, and TNFα). High-quality sequencing data were obtained, of which more than 93% of the reads can be mapped to the chicken genome. A total of 22 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and 608 DE mRNAs were detected in the APEC vs. the Control. Remarkably, 23 regulatory pairs of miRNA–mRNA interactions were identified in chicken lungs upon APEC infection. Further validation revealed that gga-miR-214 could directly target the <i>RAB37</i> gene upon APEC infection to modulate the expression of inflammatory cytokine response. This study provides new insights into the host immune response to APEC infection.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/2/95chicken lungsavian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i>mRNA-seqmiRNA-seqinflammatory response
spellingShingle Huan Li
Jishuang Tan
Xiaoyi Li
Susan J. Lamont
Hongyan Sun
Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
Veterinary Sciences
chicken lungs
avian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i>
mRNA-seq
miRNA-seq
inflammatory response
title Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
title_full Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
title_fullStr Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
title_full_unstemmed Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
title_short Integrated Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Lung miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Avian Pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection
title_sort integrated transcriptome analysis reveals the lung mirna mrna regulatory network associated with avian pathogenic i e coli i infection
topic chicken lungs
avian pathogenic <i>E. coli</i>
mRNA-seq
miRNA-seq
inflammatory response
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/2/95
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AT xiaoyili integratedtranscriptomeanalysisrevealsthelungmirnamrnaregulatorynetworkassociatedwithavianpathogeniciecoliiinfection
AT susanjlamont integratedtranscriptomeanalysisrevealsthelungmirnamrnaregulatorynetworkassociatedwithavianpathogeniciecoliiinfection
AT hongyansun integratedtranscriptomeanalysisrevealsthelungmirnamrnaregulatorynetworkassociatedwithavianpathogeniciecoliiinfection