Enrichment analyses of the signal pathway.
We performed the analysis on the pathway enrichment of DE genes by using the KEGG database to screen out the enriched metabolic pathways or signal transduction pathways. We selected the top 20 pathways ranked by enrichment score in the TB model group, and then counted the enrichment scores of these pathways in each ag85a/b DNA vaccine group to analyze the effects of ag85a/b DNA vaccine on metabolic pathways or signal transduction pathways and the repair effects to the damage caused by MTB infection (Table 4 and 5). The results showed that: (1) Most of the pathways with up-regulated enrichment scores in the TB model group were related to nutrient digestion and absorption or endocrine and neuroendocrine, for example, insulin secretion, digestion and absorption of protein and Fat, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, etc. Most of the pathways with down-regulated enrichment scores in the TB model group were related to immune responses or enzyme metabolism, for example, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway, Focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, etc. (2) The enrichment score of the top 20 pathways in the TB model group had no significant change in the 10μg and 50μg DNA IM groups. However, most of them were reversed in the other 6 groups with the ag85a/b DNA vaccine.