Host gene expression signatures of influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 virus infection in adults

Diagnosis of influenza A infection is currently based on clinical symptoms and pathogen detection. Use of host peripheral blood gene expression data to classify individuals with influenza A virus infection represents a novel approach to infection diagnosis We used microarrays to assay peripheral blood gene expression at baseline and every 8 hours for 7 days following intranasal influenza A H1N1 or H3N2 inoculation in healthy volunteers. We determined groups of coexpressed genes that classified symptomatic influenza infection. We then tested this gene expression classifier in patients with naturally acquired respiratory illness. We experimentally inoculated healthy volunteers with intranasal influenza A H1N1 and H3N2. Symptoms were documented and peripheral blood samples drawn into PAXgene RNA tubes for RNA isolation. We further enrolled patients presenting to the Emergency Department with naturally acquired respiratory illness, and documented symptoms and collected PAXgene RNA samples for RNA isolation.

当前甲型流感病毒感染的诊断主要依托临床症状与病原体检测。利用宿主外周血基因表达数据对甲型流感病毒感染者进行分类，是感染诊断领域的一种新型研究手段。本研究采用微阵列（microarray）技术，对健康志愿者经鼻内接种甲型流感H1N1或H3N2亚型病毒后，在基线时刻及后续7天内每8小时采集的外周血样本开展基因表达检测。我们筛选出可区分症状性流感感染的共表达基因模块。随后，我们在自然感染呼吸道疾病的患者群体中对该基因表达分类器进行了验证。本研究通过实验方式对健康志愿者经鼻内接种甲型流感H1N1与H3N2亚型病毒，全程记录志愿者的临床症状，并采集外周血样本至PAXgene RNA管中以完成RNA提取。此外，我们还招募了急诊科就诊的自然感染呼吸道疾病患者，记录其临床症状并采集PAXgene RNA管内的外周血样本用于RNA提取。