RNA-seq in human thymic epithelium (TEC) cells infected with Zika virus

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cellular and molecular changes caused by the Zika virus (ZIKV) on the immune system, particularly in thymus, a lymphoid organ responsible for T lymphocyte generation. Methods: We performed the RNA-Seq analysis in human thymic epithelial (TEC) cells at 72 h after infection with ZIKV compared to Mock control infection in six biological replicates. The transcriptome of ZIKV-infected TEC revealed a higher amount of protein-coding genes related to the immune system, extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion and migration, as well as non-coding RNAs (circRNAs and lncRNAs).