Gene expression profiling of nonhuman primates exposed to aerosolized Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus

Abstract

Host responses to Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses (VEEV) were studied in cynomolgus macaques after aerosol exposure to the epizootic virus. Changes in global gene expression were assessed for the brain, lungs, and spleen. In the brain, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I transcripts were induced, while the expression of S100b, a factor associated with brain injury, was inhibited, as was expression of the encephalitogenic gene MOG. Cytokine-mediated signals were affected by infection, including those involving IFN-mediated antiviral activity (IRF-7, OAS, and Mx transcripts), and the increased transcription of caspases. Induction of a few immunologically relevant genes (e.g. IFITM1 and STAT1) was common to all tested tissues. Herein, both tissue-specific and nontissue specific transcriptional changes in response to VEEV are described, including induction of IFN-regulated transcripts and cytokine-induced apoptotic factors, in addition to cellular factors in the brain that may be descriptive of the health status of the brain during the infectious process. Altogether, this work provides novel information on common and tissue-specific host responses against VEEV in a nonhuman primate model of aerosol exposure.