Latent gammaherpesvirus 68 infection induces distinct transcriptional changes in different organs

Previous studies identified a role for latent herpesvirus infection in cross-protection to infection and exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases. Here, we compared the gene expression signature from livers, spleens and brains of mice infected with wild-type gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), a mutant virus defective in the establishment of latency (ORF73.stop) or mockulum. We identified over 600 genes differentially expressed in organs of mice latently infected with MHV68 and found distinct sets of genes linked to different pathways were altered in spleen compared to liver. Several of the most differentially expressed latency-specific genes (e.g. IFN, Cxcl9, Ccl5) are associated with known latency-specific phenotypes.

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Canny SP, Goel G, Reese TA, Zhang X, Xavier R, Virgin HW