An H5N1 virus-encoded atypical microRNA is a major contributor to cytokine storm and mortality

An H5N1 virus-encoded microRNA directly targets mammalian poly(rC) binding protein 2 and is a major contributor to H5N1-associated ‘cytokine storm’ and mortality. Small RNA profiles of A549 cells infected with H5N1 influenza A virus infected were generated by deep sequencing, using Illumina Genome Analyzer.

H5N1病毒编码的微小RNA（microRNA）可直接靶向哺乳动物的聚胞嘧啶结合蛋白2（poly(rC) binding protein 2），是引发H5N1相关‘细胞因子风暴’与宿主死亡的主要致病因素。本研究利用Illumina基因组分析仪（Illumina Genome Analyzer）开展深度测序，获得了感染H5N1甲型流感病毒的A549细胞的小RNA表达谱。