# Long non-coding RNAs in response to Ebola virus vaccine-induced immunity

## TL;DR

This study explores how long non-coding RNAs respond to an Ebola vaccine, revealing their potential role in immune responses and antibody production.

## Contribution

The study identifies conserved lncRNA expression signatures and their potential roles in immune responses following Ebola vaccination.

## Key findings

- lncRNAs like LEF1-AS1 and DOCK8-AS1 show conserved activation after vaccination.
- lncRNA expression correlates with immune gene activity and antibody levels.
- LEF1-AS1 is uniquely associated with the Ebola vaccine response.

## Abstract

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression, yet their role in shaping human responses to vaccination remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we analyzed RNA-sequencing data from three independent human cohorts vaccinated with the rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine to profile lncRNA expression dynamics. Using differential expression analysis and correlation meta-analysis across cohorts, we identified an expression signature with several lncRNAs, including LEF1-AS1 and DOCK8-AS1, that exhibit conserved transcriptional activation following vaccination. Correlation of lncRNA expression with gene targets and IgG titers revealed putative roles for lncRNAs in regulating and/or participate in both innate immune responses and adaptive antibody production. Functional enrichment of lncRNA co-expressed protein-coding genes highlighted involvement in T-cell differentiation, interferon signaling, and leukocyte activation. Integrating global run-on sequencing data and comparative transcriptomic analysis across other vaccine studies suggests that LEF1-AS1 modulation is distinctively associated with Ebola vaccination. Our findings demonstrate that lncRNAs are potential integral components of the human vaccine response and provide a foundation for future mechanistic studies targeting noncoding RNA regulation of immunity.

Timeline and analysis of EBOLA vaccine response integrated in the analyses. It includes four vaccine groups (VSV-EBOVAC B1, VSV-EBOVAC B2, EBOPLUS and VEBCON) and sample sizes (n = 46, n = 52, n = 33, n = 18). RNA sequencing and IgG titer measurement processes are illustrated. Key figures show analyses that were perfomed: differential expression of lncRNAs and correlations between lncRNA, mRNA, and IgG titers, highlighting changes post-vaccination, including specific lncRNAs like DOCK8-AS1. Data is presented with graphs and correlation plots.