Abstract
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is a contagious disease that impacts swine health worldwide. Lipid metabolism plays a vital role in energy production and is regulated by various genes involved in lipogenesis and lipolysis. In this study, we found that PRRSV infection significantly reduced the protein expression of STEAP3. The overexpression of STEAP3 can notably inhibit PRRSV replication. Additionally, we utilized transcriptomics and metabolomics to examine the effects of STEAP3 on PRRSV replication, identifying important pathways associated with energy metabolism and lipogenesis. We subsequently found that STEAP3 can suppress PRRSV replication by regulating fatty acid synthesis and enhancing lipid droplet formation. Overall, these findings indicate that STEAP3 could be a potential target for developing strategies to manage PRRSV infection by modulating lipid metabolism.