Host gene expression signatures discriminate between ferrets infected with genetically similar H1N1 strains.
Different respiratory viruses induce virus-specific gene expression in the host. Recent evidence, including those presented here, suggests that genetically related isolates of influenza virus induce strain-specific host gene regulation in several animal models. Here, we identified systemic strain-specific gene expression signatures in ferrets infected with pandemic influenza A/California/07/2009, A/Mexico/4482/2009 or seasonal influenza A/Brisbane/59/2007. Using uncorrelated shrunken centroid classification, we were able to accurately identify the infecting influenza strain with a combined gene expression profile of 10 selected genes, independent of the severity of disease. Another gene signature, consisting of 7 genes, could classify samples based on lung pathology. Furthermore, we identified a gene expression profile consisting of 31 probes that could classify samples based on both strain and severity of disease. Thus, we show that expression-based analysis of non-infected tissue enables distinction between genetically related influenza viruses as well as lung pathology. These results open for development of alternative tools for influenza diagnostics.
Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karl
K
Ljungberg
Alexis
A
McBrayer
Jeremy V
JV
Camp
Yong-Kyu
YK
Chu
Ronald
R
Tapp
Diana L
DL
Noah
Sheila
S
Grimes
Mary L
ML
Proctor
Peter
P
Liljeström
Colleen B
CB
Jonsson
Carl E
CE
Bruder
D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005289:Ferrets / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics*; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*