Figure 2

microRNA and gene microarray expression on 7 and 15 dpi. (a) Representative heatmaps of microarrays revealed that relatively fewer miRNAs and genes were differentially expressed at 7 dpi. However, more alterations in expression occurred at 15 dpi, when viral clearance was complete. In infected lung samples at both 7 and 15 dpi, the higher numbers of down-regulated miRNAs coincided with the increase in up-regulated genes. (b) Scatter plots showed negligible overlap between the differentially expressed miRNAs and genes at the two time-points, indicating that highly specific functions were operating during these two phases of influenza pneumonia. N = 4 per group per time-point.