PIWIL4 knockdown alters piRNA expression in RSV-infected immortalized small airway epithelial cells

PIWIL4, a member of the PIWI protein family that interacts with PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), was found to be induced by RSV infection in airway epithelial cells. To investigate the role of PIWIL4 in piRNA expression during RSV infection, immortalized small airway epithelial (iSAE) cells were transfected with either a non-targeting or a PIWIL4-targeting siRNA and then left uninfected or infected with RSV for 15 hours. piRNA expression was profiled using the Arraystar Human piRNA Microarray (HG19), which targets 23,677 unique piRNAs, to identify piRNAs differentially expressed upon PIWIL4 knockdown under basal and RSV-infected conditions.