Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis

Beta-sitosterol (BS), a naturally occurring phytosterol abundant in plants, has been reported to exhibit diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), a member of the Pestivirus genus, remains a persistent threat to the swine ind...

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Main Authors: Yayun Liu, Dongdong Yin, Jieru Wang, Yin Dai, Xuehuai Shen, Lei Yin, Bin Zhou, Xiaocheng Pan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/933
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author Yayun Liu
Dongdong Yin
Jieru Wang
Yin Dai
Xuehuai Shen
Lei Yin
Bin Zhou
Xiaocheng Pan
author_facet Yayun Liu
Dongdong Yin
Jieru Wang
Yin Dai
Xuehuai Shen
Lei Yin
Bin Zhou
Xiaocheng Pan
author_sort Yayun Liu
collection DOAJ
description Beta-sitosterol (BS), a naturally occurring phytosterol abundant in plants, has been reported to exhibit diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), a member of the Pestivirus genus, remains a persistent threat to the swine industry worldwide, causing considerable economic damage. Our research found that BS significantly enhances the replication of both the CSFV-Shimen strain and the attenuated C-strain vaccine virus in PK-15 cells. Additionally, transcriptomic profiling (RNA-Seq) identified 175 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following BS exposure, comprising 53 upregulated and 122 downregulated genes. Further results demonstrated that treatment with β-sitosterol suppressed IκBα expression, thereby activating the NF-κB pathway, and that knockdown of endogenous IκBα significantly promoted CSFV replication. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how BS influences the CSFV infection process, suggesting its role as a host lipid-associated factor facilitating viral propagation.
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series Viruses
spelling doaj-art-e77eac3cfdc94b2fa24ec30792b9f8e52025-08-20T03:13:59ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117793310.3390/v17070933Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq AnalysisYayun Liu0Dongdong Yin1Jieru Wang2Yin Dai3Xuehuai Shen4Lei Yin5Bin Zhou6Xiaocheng Pan7Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaInstitute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Livestock and Poultry Epidemic Diseases Research Center of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaBeta-sitosterol (BS), a naturally occurring phytosterol abundant in plants, has been reported to exhibit diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), a member of the Pestivirus genus, remains a persistent threat to the swine industry worldwide, causing considerable economic damage. Our research found that BS significantly enhances the replication of both the CSFV-Shimen strain and the attenuated C-strain vaccine virus in PK-15 cells. Additionally, transcriptomic profiling (RNA-Seq) identified 175 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following BS exposure, comprising 53 upregulated and 122 downregulated genes. Further results demonstrated that treatment with β-sitosterol suppressed IκBα expression, thereby activating the NF-κB pathway, and that knockdown of endogenous IκBα significantly promoted CSFV replication. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how BS influences the CSFV infection process, suggesting its role as a host lipid-associated factor facilitating viral propagation.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/933beta-sitosterol (BS)classical swine fever virus (CSFV)lipid compoundsreplicationdifferentially expressed genes (DEGs)
spellingShingle Yayun Liu
Dongdong Yin
Jieru Wang
Yin Dai
Xuehuai Shen
Lei Yin
Bin Zhou
Xiaocheng Pan
Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
Viruses
beta-sitosterol (BS)
classical swine fever virus (CSFV)
lipid compounds
replication
differentially expressed genes (DEGs)
title Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
title_full Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
title_fullStr Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
title_short Beta-Sitosterol Enhances Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis
title_sort beta sitosterol enhances classical swine fever virus infection insights from rna seq analysis
topic beta-sitosterol (BS)
classical swine fever virus (CSFV)
lipid compounds
replication
differentially expressed genes (DEGs)
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/933
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