Changes in serum microRNA profile in FMDV infected Indian cattle (Bos indicus)

Abstract

Although considerable advances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of FMDV infection, there is still scope for delineating the complex interplay of host and virus interactions. FMDV pathogenesis in cattle is associated with a distinct profile of host microRNAs (miRNAs) that could influence cellular gene expression. The miRNAs are small RNA molecules which regulate gene expression by targetting messenger RNA and cause either mRNA degradation or translation repression, thus modulating gene expression and subsequent cellular pathways. Following infection, normal miRNA patterns can be altered to regulate disease pathogenesis, in turn determining the outcome of the infection.