Systems immunology of transcriptional responses to viral infection identifies conserved antiviral pathways across macaques and humans

This study performs the largest transcriptome analysis of viral disease in macaques and humans to compare antiviral responses and define conserved or virus-specific host responses. Using data from macaques infected with 13 viruses and human data from 47 datasets, the study reveals conserved transcriptional signatures between humans and macaques, primarily driven by myeloid cells and correlating with disease severity. Temporal patterns of antiviral responses vary by viral family, with differences in T cell responses noted, particularly in Flaviviridae infections. The macaque model effectively recapitulates human transcriptomic antiviral responses, supporting its use in understanding host-virus interactions and developing antiviral countermeasures.

Kalani Ratnasiri, Hong Zheng, Jiaying Toh, Shirit Einav, Catherine A Blish, Purvesh Khatri, Zhiyuan Yao, Veronica Duran, Michele Donato, Mario Roederer, Megha Kamath, John-Paul M Todd, Matthew Gagne, Kathryn E Foulds, Joseph R Francica, Kizzmekia S Corbett, Daniel C Douek, Robert A Seder