IRF7 and infection: Of note, interferon regulatory factor 7 (irf7), the predicted target gene of nbr-miR-731 and a regulator of type I IFN production, apoptosis, and immune cell differentiation (83), showed higher expression in the spleen at 6 h after infection as well, suggesting another potential mechanism regulated by exosomal nbr-miR-731 in the present study.