title: Combined analysis of primary lymphoid tissues' transcriptomic response to extra-intestinal Escherichia coli (ExPEC) infection.
abstract: Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), constitutes an animal health and a potential zoonotic risk. Most studies focus on the response of a single tissue to APEC infection. Understanding interactions among lymphoid tissues is of importance in controlling APEC infection. Therefore, we studied bone marrow, bursa, and thymus transcriptomes because of these tissues' crucial roles in development of pre-lymphocytes, B cells, and T cells, respectively. Using lesion scores of liver, pericardium, and air sacs, infected birds were classified as either resistant or susceptible. Little difference in gene expression was detected in resistant birds in bone marrow versus bursa or thymus, while there were large differences between tissues in susceptible birds. Phagosome, lysosome and cytokine interactions were strongly enhanced in thymus versus bone marrow in susceptible birds, and T cell receptor (TCR), cell cycle, and p53 signaling were significantly decreased. B cell receptor (BCR) was also significantly suppressed in bursa versus bone marrow in susceptible birds. This research provides novel insights into the complex developmental changes in gene expression occurring across the primary lymphoid organs and, therefore, serves as a foundation to understanding the cellular and molecular basis of host resistance to APEC infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. Electronic address: sjlamont@iastate.edu.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lamont
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D059467:Transcriptome
keywords: Bone marrow; Bursa; ExPEC; Primary lymphoid tissues; Thymus