Abstract
Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) infection can cause severe inflammatory responses in avian species, evading immune recognition, leading to chronic infection and immune dysfunction. Although the pathogenic mechanisms and immune evasion strategies of MS have not been fully elucidated, the crucial role of the spleen in immune responses cannot be overlooked. Building on preliminary findings related to the tissue damage and inflammatory responses in chicken spleens caused by MS infection, this study further utilizes transcriptomic and proteomic technologies to thoroughly investigate the comprehensive effects of MS infection on the chicken spleen. We detected 946 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 305 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) during MS infection, including 771 up-regulated and 175 down-regulated DEGs, along with 145 up-regulated and 160 down-regulated DEPs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the DEGs/DEPs are enriched in processes related to immune activation, antioxidation/cell apoptosis, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum protein processing. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed immune-related pathways closely associated with MS infection, particularly in endoplasmic reticulum protein processing, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and the myosin light chain kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway. Suggesting that the activation and interaction of these pathways may play a critical role in the immune response during MS infection. Overall, this study, for the first time, employs RNA-Seq and TMT quantitative proteomics to comprehensively analyse the interaction mechanisms between MS and chicken spleen, enhancing our understanding of the complexity of the immune mechanisms induced by MS. This provides valuable insights for future research and intervention strategies targeting MS infection.