Experimental challenge with bovine herpesvirus 1 in dairy calves: cranial lung lobe mRNA transcriptome response

Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV1) is a leading cause of Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) in young calves, which is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to elucidate the cranial lung lobe mRNA transcriptomic response to an experimental challenge with BoHV1, in dairy calves. Holstein-Friesian calves were either challenged by intranasal atomisation with BoHV1 virus (6.3 x 10^7/mL x 1.35mL) (n=12) or mock challenged with sterile phosphate buffered saline (n=6). Clinical signs were scored daily until euthanasia at day 6 post-challenge. Total RNA was extracted and sequenced from cranial lung lobe tissue (lesioned and healthy) (150 bp paired-end). Sequence reads were aligned to the ARS-UCD1.2 bovine reference genome and differential gene expression analysis was performed using EdgeR. There were 334 differentially expressed genes in the healthy cranial lobe tissue, between BoHV1 challenged and control calves, and there were 67 differentially expressed genes Overall design: Examination of a single tissue type (cranial lung lobe), in two different conditions, healthy or lesioned, in two different treatment groups, BoHV1 challenged calves (n=12) and control calves (n=6)