Analysis of changes in global gene expression in chickens after CAstV infection

Astroviral infections pose a significant problem in the poultry industry, leading to multiple adverse effects such as decreased egg production, breeding disorders, poor weight gain, and even increased mortality. The commonly observed chicken astrovirus CAstV was recently reported to be responsible for the white chicks syndrome associated with increased embryo/chick mortality.CAstV-mediated pathogenesis in chicken occurs due to complex interactions between the infectious pathogen and the immune system. Many aspects of CAstV-chicken interactions remain unclear, and there is no information available regarding possible changes in gene expression in the chicken spleen in response to CAstV infection. We aimed to investigate changes in gene expression triggered by CAstV infection.Ten 21-day-old SPF White Leghorn chickens were divided into two groups of 5 birds each. One group was inoculated with CAstV, and the other used as the negative control. At 4 days post infection, spleen samples were collected and immediately frozen for RNA isolation.We analyzed the isolated RNA, using RNA-seq to generate transcriptional profiles of the chickens' spleens and identify differentially expressed genes. The RNA-seq findings were verified by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR.