Proteomics of DF-1 cells infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J

► The expression changes for cellular proteins in DF-1 cells infected with ALV-J were investigated. ► The majority of the altered proteins in DF-1 cells appeared at 6–12h after ALV-J infection. ► Mass spectrometry identified 74 altered cellular proteins. ► The changes in the transcriptional profile of DJ-1, UCHL1, VDAC1 and HMGB1 in infected DF-1 cells were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an avian oncogenic retrovirus that has led to severe economic losses in the poultry industry in China in recent years. The pathogenesis of virus infection and virus–host interactions are still not well elucidated. In this paper, we investigated the expression changes for cellular proteins in DF-1 cells infected with ALV-J. Comparative analyses revealed that the majority of the altered proteins in DF-1 cells appeared at 6–12h after ALV-J infection. Mass spectrometry identified 74 altered cellular proteins, including 30 up-regulated proteins and 44 down-regulated proteins. Some of these proteins are involved in cell cytoskeleton, metabolic processes, response to stimulus and immune responses. Other proteins, such as DJ-1, UCHL1, VDAC1 and HMGB1, have some relationship to apoptosis or oncogenesis. The changes in the transcriptional profile of DJ-1, UCHL1, VDAC1 and HMGB1 in infected as compared to uninfected DF-1 cells were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Our work gives some information about differential protein expression in cells infected with ALV-J, which will help us to understand viral pathogenicity.