Interferon-Mediated Long Non-Coding RNA Response in Macrophages in the Context of HIV

Interferons play a critical role in the innate immune response against a variety of pathogens, such as HIV-1. Recent studies have shown that long non-coding genes are part of a reciprocal feedforward/feedback relationship with interferon expression. They presumably contribute to the cell type specificity of the interferon response, such as the phenotypic and functional transition of macrophages throughout the immune response. However, no comprehensive understanding exists today about the IFN–lncRNA interplay in macrophages, also a sanctuary for latent HIV-1. Therefore, we completed a poly-A+ RNAseq analysis on monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) treated with members of all three types of IFNs (IFN-α, IFN-ε, IFN-γ or IFN-λ) and on macrophages infected with HIV-1, revealing an extensive non-coding IFN and/or HIV-1 response. Moreover, co-expression correlation with mRNAs was used to identify important (long) non-coding hub genes within IFN- or HIV-1-associated gene clusters. This study identified and prioritized IFN related hub lncRNAs for further functional validation.