Gene Expression Changes in Horses Infected with West Nile Virus
Author Information
Author(s): Bourgeois Melissa A., Denslow Nancy D., Seino Kathy S., Barber David S., Long Maureen T.
Primary Institution: University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine
Hypothesis
There are gene pathways whose expression changes significantly due to West Nile Virus exposure, survival status, and CNS location.
Conclusion
The study found significant changes in gene expression in horses infected with West Nile Virus, particularly in neurological and immunological pathways.
Supporting Evidence
- Significant differences in gene expression were observed due to virus exposure, survival, and location.
- High sequence homology was found between equine and human transcriptomes.
- Pathways analysis revealed involvement of both innate and adaptive immunity.
Takeaway
This study looked at how a virus affects the genes in horses' brains, showing that the virus can change how certain genes work, which might help us understand similar diseases in humans.
Methodology
The study used pyrosequencing and a custom microarray to analyze gene expression in the brains of horses infected with West Nile Virus.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the experimental design and the specific horse populations used.
Limitations
The study was limited to a small sample size and focused only on specific brain regions.
Participant Demographics
Horses included both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, with varying ages.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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