miR-214-5p/C1QTNF1 axis enhances PCV2 replication through promoting autophagy by targeting AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Yue Cao; Pengfei Jing; Luchen Yu; Zhengchang Wu; Song Gao; Wenbin Bao

doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198990

miR-214-5p/C1QTNF1 axis enhances PCV2 replication through promoting autophagy by targeting AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Virus Res. 2023 Jan 2:323:198990. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198990. Epub 2022 Oct 24.

Authors

Yue Cao¹, Pengfei Jing², Luchen Yu³, Zhengchang Wu⁴, Song Gao⁵, Wenbin Bao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China. Electronic address: dx120200132@yzu.edu.cn.
² Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China. Electronic address: mx120210842@stu.yzu.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China. Electronic address: mx120220874@stu.yzu.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: zcwu@yzu.edu.con.
⁵ College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: gsong@yzu.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China. Electronic address: wbbao@yzu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causative agent of PCV2-associated disease, which causes a relevant economic impact on the global swine industry. Accumulating data have indicated host microRNAs play essential roles in numerous virus replication of pigs, while their roles in PCV2 replication remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that PCV2 infection downregulated the expression of miR-214-5p in PK15 cells, and miR-214-5p promoted PCV2 replication. C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (C1QTNF1) was then identified as a target gene of miR-214-5p, and C1QTNF1 suppressed PCV2 replication. Interestingly, miR-214-5p/C1QTNF1 axis negatively regulated AKT/mTOR signaling, and then enhanced PCV2 replication through promoting autophagy in PK15 cells. Collectively, our findings provide insight into the mechanism of PCV2 replication and highlight miR-214-5p and C1QTNF1 as potential novel targets for the treatment of PCV2 infection.

Keywords: AKT/mTOR signaling pathway; Autophagy; C1QTNF1; PCV2; Pigs; miR-214–5p.