Mechanism of pulmonary plague biphasic syndrome: inhibition or activation of NF-κB signaling pathway

Background:Pneumonic plague is a fatal respiratory disease caused by Yersinia pestis. Time-course transcriptome analysis on the mechanism of pneumonic plague biphasic syndrome is lacking in the literature. Materials & methods:This study documented the disease course through bacterial load, histopathology, cytokine levels and flow cytometry. RNA-sequencing technology was used to investigate the global transcriptome profile of lung tissue in mice infected with Y. pestis. Results:Inflammation-related genes were significantly upregulated at 48 h post-infection, while genes related to cell adhesion and cytoskeletal structure were downregulated. Conclusion:NOD-like receptor and TNF signaling pathways play a plausible role in pneumonic plague biphasic syndrome and lung injury by controlling the activation and inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.