Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Candidate lncRNA-S100-GPCR Co-Expression Networks in Lungs of Piglets Infected with Glaesserella parasuis

Abstract

Simple Summary Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) is a major bacterial pathogen that causes severe respiratory disease in piglets, leading to substantial economic losses worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying lung inflammation following infection remain incompletely understood. In this study, whole-transcriptome sequencing was conducted on lung tissues from colostrum-deprived piglets with mild and severe serotype 5 G. parasuis infection and healthy controls. The number of differentially expressed genes and long non-coding RNAs increased progressively with disease severity. One prominent signaling pathway, the S100 family, was predicted to be activated in both mild and severe infections, but its involvement was markedly broader in severe cases, involving more molecules such as GPCRs and matrix metalloproteinases. Two long non-coding RNAs—LOC110256217 and LOC110259349—that are co-expressed with core genes in this pathway at different stages of infection were identified via co-expression network analysis. These findings suggest a putative lncRNA-S100-GPCR-associated inflammatory module in pulmonary inflammation induced by G. parasuis. This work provides valuable resources for understanding the molecular basis of lung inflammation to advance investigations into host-bacterial interactions.