Analysis of the miRNA profile in C6/36 cells persistently infected with dengue virus type 2

• Published in: Virus research 2017-03, Vol.232, p.139-151
• Main Authors: Avila-Bonilla, Rodolfo Gamaliel, Yocupicio-Monroy, Martha, Marchat, Laurence A., De Nova-Ocampo, Mónica A., del Ángel, Rosa María, Salas-Benito, Juan Santiago
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aedes - cytology; Aedes - virology; Animals; Cell Line; Deep sequencing; Dengue - transmission; Dengue - virology; Dengue Virus - genetics; Dengue virus C6/36-HT cells; Gene Expression Regulation; Gene Ontology; Genetic Heterogeneity; Genome, Viral; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Metabolic Networks and Pathways - genetics; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miRNAs; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Mosquitoes; Persistence; Signal Transduction; Viral Proteins - genetics; Viral Proteins - metabolism; Virus Replication
• ISSN: 0168-1702; 1872-7492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.03.005

•Deep sequencing of miRNAs reveals differential expression of miRNAs in C6/36 cells.•Six miRNAs are overexpressed in C6/36 cells persistently infected with dengue virus.•Nine miRNAs are down-regulated in C6/36 cells persistently infected with dengue virus.•The putative targets of miRNAs was determined by RNAhybrid and Microcosm software.•The innate immune system of the mosquito is the target of several miRNAs. Dengue virus (DENV) is the most important arbovirus in the world; DENV is transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquitoes and can establish a life-long persistent infection in mosquitoes. However, the exact mechanism by which persistent infection is established remains unknown. In this study the differential expression of miRNAs was analysed by deep sequencing and RT-qPCR using a previously established C6/36-HT cell line persistently infected with DENV 2 (C6-L) as a model. miR-927, miR-87, miR-210, miR-2a-3p, miR-190 and miR-970 were up-regulated, whereas miR-252, miR-263a-3p, miR-92b, miR-10-5p miR-9a-5p, miR-9a-1, miR-124, miR-286a and miR-286b were down-regulated in C6-L cells compared with C6/36 cells acutely infected with the same virus or mock-infected cells. Deep sequencing results were validated by RT-qPCR for the highly differentially expressed miR-927 and miR-9a-5p, which were up- and down-regulated, respectively, compared with both acutely and mock-infected C6/36 cells. The putative targets of these miRNAs include components of the ubiquitin conjugation pathway, vesicle-mediated transport, autophagy, and the JAK-STAT cascade as well as proteins with endopeptidase activity. Other putative targets include members of the Toll signalling pathway and proteins with kinase, ATPase, protease, scavenger receptor or Lectin C-type activity or that participate in fatty acid biosynthesis or oxidative stress. Our results suggest that several specific miRNAs help regulate the cellular functions that maintain equilibrium between viral replication and the antiviral response during persistent infection of mosquito cells. This study is the first report of a global miRNA profile in a mosquito cell line persistently infected with DENV.