Anti-Viral microRNAs Profiling in Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus (ISAV)-Infected Atlantic Salmon Kidney (ASK) Cells

Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) is an orthomyxovirus causing fetal disease of farmed Atlantic salmon, leading to considerable financial losses farmers around the world. In the present study, we sequenced and identified microRNAs (miRNAs) from Atlantic salmon kidney (ASK) cells infected with ISAV. Based on initial experimental data derived from RNA-Seq analysis, a group of differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs from the infected ASK cells were selected for expression analysis and to identify their mRNA targets. Among the DE miRNAs, highest-ranked 19 up-or down-regulated miRNAs stood out as attractive candidates for a role in ISAV-related function, which displayed a clear tendency to be continuously upregulated or downregulated during viral infection. Interestingly, these miRNAs displayed significant relationships with immune system processes based on their mRNA targets. Besides, miR-148a/b and miR-152 can be putative anti-viral miRNAs by directly targeting viral genes such as HA, P3, and NP genes which are required for viral infection. Taken together, these data may provide new clues to understanding the molecular framework of immune defense response during viral infection.