Project description:Human rhinovirus and influenza virus infections of the upper airway lead to colds and the flu and can trigger exacerbations of lower airway diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite modest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of infections by these viruses, novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets are still needed to differentiate between the cold and the flu, since the clinical course of influenza can be severe while that of rhinovirus is usually more mild. In our investigation of influenza and rhinovirus infection of human respiratory epithelial cells, we used a systems approach to identify the temporally changing patterns of host gene expression from these viruses. After infection of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) with rhinovirus, influenza virus or co-infection with both viruses, we studied the time-course of host gene expression changes over three days. From these data, we constructed a transcriptional regulatory network model that revealed shared and unique host responses to these viral infections such that after a lag of 4-8 hours, most cell host responses were similar for both viruses, while divergent host cell responses appeared after 24-48 hours. The similarities and differences in gene expression after epithelial infection of rhinovirus, influenza virus, or both viruses together revealed qualitative and quantitative differences in innate immune activation and regulation. These differences help explain the generally mild outcome of rhinovirus infections compared to influenza infections which can be much more severe. Human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were infected with rhinovirus, influenza virus or both viruses and RNAs were then profiled at 10 time points (2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 26, 48, 60 and 72hrs)
Project description:Rhinovirus infections exacerbate chronic respiratory inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Airway epithelial cells are the primary site of rhinovirus replication and responsible for initiating the host immune response to infection. Numerous studies have reported that the anti-viral innate immune response in asthma is deficient leading to the conclusion that epithelial innate immunity is a key determinant of disease severity during a rhinovirus induced exacerbation. However, deficient rhinovirus-induced epithelial interferon production in asthma has not always been observed. We hypothesised that disparate in vitro airway epithelial infection models lacking genome-wide, time-course analyses have obscured the role of epithelial innate anti-viral immunity in asthma and COPD. To address this, we developed a low multiplicity of infection (MOI) rhinovirus model of differentiated primary epithelial cells obtained from healthy, asthma and COPD donors. Using genome-wide gene expression following infection, we demonstrated that gene expression patterns are similar across patient groups, but that the kinetics of induction are delayed in cells obtained from asthma and COPD donors. Rhinovirus-induced innate immune responses were defined by interferons (type-I, II and III), interferon response factors (IRF1, IRF3 and IRF7), TLR signalling and NF‐kB and STAT1 activation. Induced gene expression was evident at 24 hours and peaked at 48 hours post‐infection in cells from healthy subjects. In contrast, in cells from donors with asthma or COPD induction was maximal at or beyond 72-96 hours post infection. Thus, we propose that propensity for viral exacerbations of asthma and COPD relate to delayed (rather than deficient) expression of epithelial cell innate anti-viral immune genes which in turns leads to a delayed and ultimately more inflammatory host immune response.
Project description:Human Rhinovirus (HRV) infection can trigger exacerbations of asthma. Understanding of the mechanisms provoking airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma, as well as the pathogenic mechanisms of HRV infection and its association with asthma exacerbations, may offer significant opportunities for improved disease management. Genome-wide expression analysis of HRV type 1A-infected primary bronchial epithelial (PBE) cells from normal and asthmatic donors was performed to determine whether asthma is associated with a unique pattern of gene expression after HRV infection in vitro. Keywords: response to rhinovirus infection
Project description:To elucidate the epithelial cell diversity within the nasal inferior turbinates, a comprehensive investigation was conducted comparing control subjects to individuals with house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis. This study aimed to delineate the differential expression profiles and phenotypic variations of epithelial cells in response to allergic rhinitis. This research elucidated distinct subpopulations and rare cell types of epithelial cells within the nasal turbinates, discerning alterations induced by allergic rhinitis. Furthermore, by interrogating transcriptomic signatures, the investigation provided novel insights into the cellular dynamics and immune responses underlying allergic rhinitis pathogenesis
Project description:Human rhinovirus and influenza virus infections of the upper airway lead to colds and the flu and can trigger exacerbations of lower airway diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite modest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of infections by these viruses, novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets are still needed to differentiate between the cold and the flu, since the clinical course of influenza can be severe while that of rhinovirus is usually more mild. In our investigation of influenza and rhinovirus infection of human respiratory epithelial cells, we used a systems approach to identify the temporally changing patterns of host gene expression from these viruses. After infection of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) with rhinovirus, influenza virus or co-infection with both viruses, we studied the time-course of host gene expression changes over three days. From these data, we constructed a transcriptional regulatory network model that revealed shared and unique host responses to these viral infections such that after a lag of 4-8 hours, most cell host responses were similar for both viruses, while divergent host cell responses appeared after 24-48 hours. The similarities and differences in gene expression after epithelial infection of rhinovirus, influenza virus, or both viruses together revealed qualitative and quantitative differences in innate immune activation and regulation. These differences help explain the generally mild outcome of rhinovirus infections compared to influenza infections which can be much more severe.
Project description:Background: Respiratory viruses including rhinovirus can cause pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis (CF). Aberrant responses by the CF airway epithelium during rhinovirus infection, particularly interferon production, may underly the clinical observations. Whether CFTR modulators affect antiviral responses by CF epithelia is presently unknown. We tested the hypothesis that treatment of CF epithelial cells with Ivacaftor or ivacaftor/lumacaftor (Orkambi) would improve control of rhinovirus infection. Methods: Nineteen CF epithelial cultures (CFTR Class 2: 10 homozygous for p.Phe508del, CFTR Class 3: 9 p.Phe508del/p.Gly551Asp) were infected with rhinovirus 1B at multiplicity of infection 12 for 24 hours. Culture RNA and supernatants were harvested to assess gene and protein expression respectively. Results: RNA-seq analysis comparing rhinovirus infected cultures to control identified 796 and 629 differentially expressed genes for Class 2 and Class 3, respectively. This gene response was highly conserved when cells were treated; all infected cultures (+/- treatment) were associated with the same top three over-represented biological pathways associated with interferon signalling, and were predicted to be driven by the same interferon-pathway transcriptional regulators (IFNA, IFNL1, IFNG, IRF7, STAT1). Direct comparisons between treated and untreated infected cultures did not yield any differentially expressed genes for Class 3, and only 68 genes for Class 2, related to cell metabolic pathways. In addition, CFTR modulators did not affect viral copy number, or levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines produced post-infection. Conclusions: Though long term clinical data is not yet available, results presented here suggest CFTR modulators do not interfere with core airway epithelial responses to rhinovirus infection.
Project description:RATIONALE: Human rhinovirus infections cause colds and trigger exacerbations of lower airway diseases. OBJECTIVES: To define changes in gene expression profiles during in vivo rhinovirus infections. METHODS: Nasal epithelial scrapings were obtained before and during experimental rhinovirus infection, and gene expression was evaluated by microarray. Naturally acquired rhinovirus infections, cultured human epithelial cells, and short interfering RNA knockdown were used to further evaluate the role of viperin in rhinovirus infections. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Symptom scores and viral titers were measured in subjects inoculated with rhinovirus or sham control, and changes in gene expression were assessed 8 and 48 hours after inoculation. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for viperin and rhinoviruses was used in naturally acquired infections, and viperin mRNA levels and viral titers were measured in cultured cells. Rhinovirus-induced changes in gene expression were not observed 8 hours after viral infection, but 11,887 gene transcripts were significantly altered in scrapings obtained 2 days postinoculation. Major groups of up-regulated genes included chemokines, signaling molecules, interferon-responsive genes, and antivirals. Viperin expression was further examined and also was increased in naturally acquired rhinovirus infections, as well as in cultured human epithelial cells infected with intact, but not replication-deficient, rhinovirus. Knockdown of viperin with short interfering RNA increased rhinovirus replication in infected epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinovirus infection significantly alters the expression of many genes associated with the immune response, including chemokines and antivirals. The data obtained provide insights into the host response to rhinovirus infection and identify potential novel targets for further evaluation.
Project description:Major- and minor-group rhinoviruses enter their host by binding to the cell surface molecules ICAM-1 and LDL-R, respectively, which are present on both macrophages and epithelial cells. Although epithelial cells are the primary site of productive HRV infection, previous studies have implicated macrophages in establishing the cytokine dysregulation that occurs during rhinovirus-induced asthma exacerbations. Even though major- and minor-group rhinoviruses are nearly genetically identical, these viruses do not replicate with equal success in monocyte-lineage cell lines. In human primary macrophages, differential mitochondrial activity and signaling pathway activation was observed between major- and minor-group rhinovirus upon initial HRV binding, indicating discordant receptor-dependent response to these rhinovirus types. As well, variances in phosphorylation of kinases (p38, JNK, ERK5) and transcription factors (ATF-2, CREB, CEBP-alpha) were observed between the major- and minor- group HRV treatments. The difference between major- and minor- group HRV activation of signaling pathways was confirmed through RNA-sequencing and observation of differential production of the asthma-relevant cytokines CCL20, CCL2, and IL-10. This is the first report of genetically similar viruses eliciting dissimilar cytokine release, transcription factor phosphorylation, and MAPK activation from macrophages. These results suggest that receptor dependence plays a role in establishing the inflammatory microenvironment initiated in part by monocytic-lineage cells in the human airway upon exposure to rhinovirus. RNA sequencing of monocyte-derived macrophages after mock infection or infection by HRV16 or HRV1A