Characterisation of novel human genes differentially expressed in virus-infected cells

Abstract

In order to gain insights into the host antiviral strategies as well as viral pathogenesis of SARS-CoV and EV71, we employed the DNA microarray to elucidate these host- and virus-mediated transcriptional responses in vero E6 and RD cells, respectively. In addition, differential display RT-PCR was also included in the analysis of EV71 infection. Together, several genes of various functional classes were found to be differentially regulated during the infection. Real-time RT-PCR and western blot analysis were utilized to authenticate the microarray data. Besides these, 2D proteomic maps were also generated to highlight differences in expression of cellular proteins following EV71 infection. Analysis of the p53 gene in virus-infected cells revealed a larger transcript in addition to the wild-type transcript culminating in a truncated protein. The counterbalancing of several anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory pathways together with the variable expression of apoptosis-related genes is a common observation in both infections, which probably represents the host response to viral replication, counteracted by mechanisms triggered by the virus to favor its propagation.