Transcriptome Analysis and Gene Identification in the Pulmonary Artery of Broilers with Ascites Syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary arterial hypertension, also known as Ascites syndrome (AS), remains a clinically challenging disease with a large impact on both humans and broiler chickens. Pulmonary arterial remodeling presents a key step in the development of AS. The precise molecular mechanism of pulmonary artery remodeling regulating AS progression remains unclear.


RESULTS
We obtained pulmonary arteries from two positive AS and two normal broilers for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and pathological observation. RNA-seq analysis revealed a total of 895 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 437 up-regulated and 458 down-regulated genes, which were significantly enriched to 12 GO (Gene Ontology) terms and 4 KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways (Padj<0.05) regulating pulmonary artery remodeling and consequently occurrence of AS. These GO terms and pathways include ribosome, Jak-STAT and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways which regulate pulmonary artery remodeling through vascular smooth cell proliferation, inflammation and vascular smooth cell proliferation together. Some notable DEGs within these pathways included downregulation of genes like RPL 5, 7, 8, 9, 14; upregulation of genes such as IL-6, K60, STAT3, STAT5 Pim1 and SOCS3; IKKα, IkB, P38, five cytokines IL-6, IL8, IL-1β, IL-18, and MIP-1β. Six important regulators of pulmonary artery vascular remodeling and construction like CYP1B1, ALDH7A1, MYLK, CAMK4, BMP7 and INOS were upregulated in the pulmonary artery of AS broilers. The pathology results showed that the pulmonary artery had remodeled and become thicker in the disease group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our present data suggested some specific components of the complex molecular circuitry regulating pulmonary arterial remodeling underlying AS progression in broilers. We revealed some valuable candidate genes and pathways that involved in pulmonary artery remodeling further contributing to the AS progression.
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Fei
F
Yang
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Huabin
H
Cao
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Qingyang
Q
Xiao
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Xiaoquan
X
Guo
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Yu
Y
Zhuang
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Caiying
C
Zhang
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Tiancheng
T
Wang
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Huayuan
H
Lin
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Yalu
Y
Song
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Guoliang
G
Hu
Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, JiangXi Agriculture University, N.O. 1101, Zhimin Avenue, Nanchang Economic and Technological Development District Nanchang, 330045, P. R. China.
Ping
P
Liu
D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D066253:Vascular Remodeling
D030161:Avian Proteins