Project description:Transcriptional responses in lungs of mice infected with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) were compared to a control and mock infections
Project description:In this study we investigated whether there exists a genomic signature that can accurately predict the course of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in hospitalized young infants. We used early blood microarray transcriptome profiles from 39 infants that were followed until recovery and of which the level of disease severity was determined retrospectively. Applying support vector machine learning on age by sex standardized transcriptomic data, an 84 gene signature was identified that discriminated hospitalized infants with eventually less severe RSV infection from infants that suffered from most severe RSV disease.
Project description:Bovine respiratory epithelial cells have different susceptibility to bovine
respiratory syncytial virus infection. The cells derived from the lower
respiratory tract were significantly more susceptible to the virus than those
derived from the upper respiratory tract. Pre-infection with virus of lower
respiratory tract with increased adherence of P. multocida; this was not the
case for upper tract. However, the molecular mechanisms of enhanced
bacterial adherence are not completely understood. To investigate whether
virus infection regulates the cellular adherence receptor on bovine trachea-,
bronchus- and lung-epithelial cells, we performed proteomic analyses.
Project description:mRNA expression data from BALB/c mice which were infected intranasally with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (or Hep-2 cell lysate control) at 1 week old and challenged with PBS or house dust mite (HDM) extract as adults. Experimental groups: RH – neonatal RSV, adult HDM, RP – neonatal RSV, adult PBS, HH – neonatal Hep-2, adult HDM and HP – neonatal Hep-2, adult PBS.
Project description:The objective of this study was to better understand the immune response to RSV at the port of entry, in the upper respiratory tract mucosa of children naturally infected with RSV.
Project description:The aim of this investigation was two-fold: i) to describe miRNAs involved in the immune response to Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a clinical setting in order to inform further research of immune system regulation by miRNAs in RSV or other infections; ii) to discover differences in miRNA expression between disease severity groups. We have therefore profiled miRNA in cytology brushings of the nasal mucosa in infants with RSV disease, comparing them to healthy infants. miRNA microarray identified 26 differentially regulated miRNA which were subsequently analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Project description:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe disease mostly in infants; however, mechanisms of age association remain elusive. Here, employing human bronchial epithelium models generated from tracheal aspirate-derived basal stem cells of neonates and adults, we investigate whether age regulates RSV-epithelium interaction to determine disease severity. We show that following RSV infection, only neonatal epithelium model exhibits cytopathy and mucus hyperplasia, and neonatal epithelium has more robust viral spread and inflammatory responses than adult epithelium. Mechanistically, RSV-infected neonatal ciliated cells display age-related impairment of STAT3 activation, rendering susceptibility to apoptosis, which facilitates viral spread. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 infection of ciliated cells has no effect on STAT3 activation and is not affected by age. Taken together, our findings identify an age-related and RSV-specific interaction with neonatal bronchial epithelium that critically contributes to severity of infection, and STAT3 activation offers a potential strategy to battle severe RSV disease in infants.
Project description:Despite being exposed to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection multiple times in our lives, infants, older-adults, and immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to RSV-associated severe diseases, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Respiratory viral infections are known to promote pulmonary fibrosis formation, which are often associated with a cellular remodeling process epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, there is no information on whether RSV causes EMT in bronchial epithelial cells. Our results suggest that RSV-infection does not induce EMT in three different in vitro lung models: epithelial A549 cell line, primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells, and pseudostratified airway epithelium. Interestingly, RSV infection increased cell surface area and perimeter in the infected airway epithelium, which is distinct from the TGF-β1 driven cell elongation. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis also revealed that RSV infection is not involved in cell motility and locomotion. Thus, our results suggest that RSV infection does not induce EMT in the airway epithelium
Project description:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) selectively targets ciliated cells in human bronchial epithelium and can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia mostly in infants. To identify molecular targets of intervention during RSV infection in infants, we investigate how age regulates RSV interaction with the bronchial epithelium barrier. Employing precision-cut lung slices and air-liquid interface cultures generated from infant and adult human donors, we found robust RSV virus spread and extensive apoptotic cell death only in infant bronchial epithelium. In contrast, adult bronchial epithelium showed insignificant barrier damage and limited RSV infection. Single nuclear RNA-sequencing revealed age-related insufficiency of an anti-apoptotic STAT3 activation response to RSV infection in infant ciliated cells, which was exploited to facilitate virus spread via the extruded apoptotic ciliated cells carrying RSV. Activation of STAT3 and blockade of apoptosis rendered protection against severe RSV infection in infant bronchial epithelium. Lastly, apoptotic inhibitor treatment of a neonatal mouse model of RSV infection ameliorated infection and inflammation in the lung. Taken together, our findings identify a STAT3-mediated anti-apoptosis pathway as a target to battle severe RSV disease in infants.
