Integrated analysis of differential gene expression profiles in porcine alveolar macrophages induced by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strain 232.

Porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) can resist infection caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) through phagocytosis. However, it is unknown what gene expression changes occur in PAM after Mhp stimulation. Therefore, the differential gene expression (DGE) profiling technique was employed to analyze differentially expressed genes in PAMs infected with Mhp strain 232. Eighty-six and 889 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified in PAMs at 12 hours post-infection (hpi) and 24 hpi. Using Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, DE genes were involved in 54 (12 hpi) and 128 (24 hpi) GO enrichment items. Using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, DE genes were involved in 101 (12 hpi) and 250 (24 hpi) KEGG enrichment items. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), DE genes were connected, forming 25 internally interacting subnetworks. STRING analysis revealed 131 proteins encoded by DE genes involved in network interactions. Five novel genes were closely related to clinical symptoms and pathological changes of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. This is the first study to investigate PAM transcriptional responses to Mhp infection using the DGE profiling technique.