| Summary: | Viral infections are described as modifying host gene expression; however, there is limited insight regarding rotavirus (RV) infections. This study aimed to assess the changes in intestinal gene expression after RV infection in a preclinical model, and the effect of 2-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) on this process. From days 2 to 8 of life, rats were supplemented with the dietary oligosaccharide 2′-FL or vehicle. In addition, an RV was inoculated on day 5 to nonsupplemented animals (RV group) and to 2′-FL-fed animals (RV+2′-FL group). Incidence and severity of diarrhea were established. A portion from the middle part of the small intestine was excised for gene expression analysis by microarray kit and qPCR. In nonsupplemented animals, RV-induced diarrhea upregulated host antiviral genes (e.g., <i>Oas1a</i>, <i>Irf7</i>, <i>Ifi44</i>, <i>Isg15</i>) and downregulated several genes involved in absorptive processes and intestinal maturation (e.g., <i>Onecut2</i>, and <i>Ccl19</i>). The 2′-FL-supplemented and infected animals had less diarrhea; however, their gene expression was affected in a similar way as the control-infected animals, with the exception of some immunity/maturation markers that were differentially expressed (e.g., <i>Ccl12</i> and <i>Afp</i>). Overall, assessing the expression of these key genes may be useful in the evaluation of the efficacy of nutritional interventions or treatments for RV infection.
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