NPTr Cells infected with Mycoplasma - RNAseq and sRNAseq

To improve our understanding on the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae-swine interaction,we infected epithelial cells with M. hyopneumoniae to identify the infection effects on the expression of swine genes and miRNAs. In addition, we identi1ed miRNAs differentially expressed (DE) in the extracellular milieu and in exosome-like vesicles released by infected cells. We identi1ed 1,268 protein coding genes and 170 miRNAs DE post-infection (p-adj < 0.05). Up-regulated genes were related to redox homeostasis and antioxidant defense, known to be regulated by the transcription factor NRF2 in related species. Down-regulated genes were enriched in cytoskeleton and ciliary function. Our predictions suggest that DE miRNAs regulate the aforementioned functions. Interestingly, most down-regulated miRNAs were found in exosome-like vesicles. Based on these observations, M. hyopneumoniae seems to elicit an antioxidant response induced by NRF2 in infected cells; In addition, we propose that ciliostasis caused by this pathogen is partially explained by the down-regulation of ciliary genes.