Transcriptomic profiling in childhood H1N1/09 influenza reveals reduced expression of protein synthesis genes

In order to understand the immunopathogenesis of severe influenza H1N1/09, we compared the whole blood RNA transcriptome of children hospitalised with H1N1/09 infection with that of children hospitalised with RSV or bacterial infection Blood was collected into PAX gene tubes (PreAnalytiX). Total RNA integrity was assessed using an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent, Palo Alto, CA). Labeled cRNA was hybridized to Illumina Human HT-12 v3 Beadchips. Observational, prospective study. Patients were recruited at or after presentation to hospital. Main inclusion criteria were presence of illness of sufficient severity to warrant blood tests for clinical reasons, in child aged <17 years. Patient numbers recruited were as follows: H1N1/09 infection (n=25) RSV (n=34) (n=21), and healthy paediatric controls (n=33). After exclusion of children with co-infections, numbers of arrays analysed in were as follows: H1N1/09 n=19; RSV n=22; bacterial infection n=18; controls n=33