Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2005; 11(32): 5037-5043
Published online Aug 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i32.5037
Gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of SARS patients
Shi-Yan Yu, Yun-Wen Hu, Xiao-Ying Liu, Wei Xiong, Zhi-Tong Zhou, Zheng-Hong Yuan
Shi-Yan Yu, Xiao-Ying Liu, Wei Xiong, Zheng-Hong Yuan, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Ministry of Education and Public Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Yun-Wen Hu, Zhi-Tong Zhou, Shanghai Public Health Center, Shanghai 201508, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Grants From Shanghai Commission of Science and Technology, Shanghai Bureau of Health, No. 024Y32 and the grants from the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion, No. GZ Nr. 239 (202/12)
Correspondence to: Zheng-Hong Yuan, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Ministry of Education and Public Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. zhyuan@shmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-21-64161928 Fax: +86-21-64227201
Received: October 24, 2004
Revised: December 17, 2004
Accepted: December 21, 2004
Published online: August 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the role of inflammatory and anti-viral genes in the pathogenesis of SARS.

METHODS: cDNA microarrays were used to screen the gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in two SARS patients (one in the acute severe phase and the other in the convalescent phase) and a healthy donor. In addition, real-time qualitative PCR was also performed to verify the reproducibility of the microarray results. The data were further analyzed.

RESULTS: Many inflammatory and anti-viral genes were differentially expressed in SARS patients. Compared to the healthy control or the convalescent case, plenty of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, TNF-α, IL-8, and MAPK signaling pathway were significantly upregulated in the acute severe case. However, anti-inflammatory agents such as IL-4 receptor, IL-13 receptor, IL-1Ra, and TNF-α-induced proteins 3 and 6 also increased dramatically in the acute severe case. On the contrary, a lot of IFN-stimulated genes like PKR, GBP-1 and 2, CXCL-10 and 11, and JAK/STAT signal pathway were downregulated in the acute severe case compared to the convalescent case.

CONCLUSION: Gene expression in SARS patients mirrors a host state of inflammation and anti-viral immunity at the transcription level, and understanding of gene expression profiles may make contribution to further studies of the SARS pathogenesis.

Keywords: SARS pathogenesis; Gene expression profiles; cDNA microarray; Inflammation response; Innate anti-viral immunity