Elucidating Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV)-induced changes in the transcriptome of porcine alveolar macrophages.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is a contagious viral disease in pigs characterized by poor reproductive health, increased mortality, and reductions in growth rates. The causative agent of which, is PRRS Virus (PRRSV), an arterivirus. To better understand PRRSV pathogenesis and the host’s response to PRRSV infections we have undertaken regulatory and transcriptome studies in PRRSV-infected porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), its natural cellular host. To elucidate PRRSV-induced changes in the PAM transcriptome, PAMs were either infected with PRRSV (VR-2332) at 1 M.O.I. or mock-infected. RNA was collected at 12, 24, or 48 hpi and used for RNA sequencing (Illumina). Differential expression analysis revealed that 676 genes were significantly (p<0.05) altered in at least one time point. The top Gene Ontology classes for these genes, include defense response, inflammatory response, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and regulation of programmed cell death.