MicroRNA-30c Modulates Type I IFN Responses To Facilitate Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infection by Targeting JAK1

Abstract

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically important pathogen and has evolved several mechanisms to evade IFN-I responses. We report that a host microRNA, miR-30c, was upregulated by PRRSV via activating NF-κB and facilitated its ability to infect subject animals. Subsequently, we demonstrated that miR-30c was a potent negative regulator of IFN-I signaling by targeting JAK1, resulting in the enhancement of PRRSV infection. In addition, we found that JAK1 expression was significantly decreased by PRRSV and recovered when miR-30c inhibitor was overexpressed. Importantly, miR-30c was also upregulated by PRRSV infection in vivo, and miR-30c expression corresponded well with viral loads in lungs and porcine alveolar macrophages of PRRSV-infected pigs. Our findings identify a new strategy taken by PRRSV to escape IFN-I–mediated antiviral immune responses by engaging miR-30c and, thus, improve our understanding of its pathogenesis.