Project description:To delineate specific patterns of signaling networks activated by H5N1 we used a comparative systems biology approach analyzing gene expression in endothelial cells infected with three different human and avian influenza strains of high and low pathogenicity.
Project description:Human tracheobronchial epithelial (HTBE) cells are considered to serve as a good correlate of influenza virus infection in the human respiratory tract. ChIP-Seq analysis was used to profile histone acetylation (H3K27ac) in HTBE cells at multiple time points in response to infection with influenza A/California/04/09 (H1N1), A/Wyoming/03/03 (H3N2), and A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) HALo virus. The Influenza A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) HALo mutant virus is an attenuated H5N1 virus generated from wild-type Influenza A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) virus as described in Steel, J., et al. J Virol. 2009 Feb; 83(4):1742-53.
Project description:Few studies have examined the local surface remodeling of primary human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) during viral infection. Hence, the full range of upregulated adhesion molecules during respiratory viral infections that facilitate bacterial attachment and entry remain unknown. Accordingly, the current study provides a comprehensive view of HNEC responses to influenza virus pH1N1 infection, via global proteome profiling of uninfected (Mock, n = 4) and influenza-infected (Virus-only, n = 4) HNECs with isobaric tags using relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique. A total of 3583 proteins were detected, 89 of which were significantly increased (52 proteins) or decreased (37 proteins) in the virus-infected HNECs compared to mock-infected controls (p < 0.05).
Project description:Non-human primates are the animals closest to humans for use in influenza A virus challenge studies, in terms of their phylogenetic relatedness, physiology and immune systems. Previous studies have shown that cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are permissive for infection with H1N1pdm influenza virus. These studies have typically used combined challenge routes, with the majority being intra-tracheal delivery, and high doses of virus (> 107 infectious units). This paper describes the outcome of novel challenge routes (inhaled aerosol, intra-nasal instillation) and low to moderate doses (103 to 106 plaque forming units) of H1N1pdm virus in cynomolgus macaques. All 4 challenge groups showed sero-conversion and evidence of virus replication, although the disease was sub-clinical. Intra-nasal challenge led to an infection confined to the nasal cavity. A low dose (103 plaque forming units) did not lead to detectable infectious virus shedding, but a 1000-fold higher dose led to virus shedding in all intra-nasal challenged animals. In contrast, aerosol and intra-tracheal challenge routes led to infections throughout the respiratory tract, although shedding from the nasal cavity was less reproducible between animals compared to the high-dose intra-nasal challenge group. Intra-tracheal and aerosol challenges induced a transient lymphopaenia, similar to that observed in influenza-infected humans, and greater virus-specific cellular immune responses in the blood were observed in these groups in comparison to the intra-nasal challenge groups. Activation of lung macrophages and innate immune response genes were detected at days 5 to 7 post-challenge. The kinetics of infection, both virological and immunological, were broadly in line with human influenza A virus infections. These more authentic infection models should be valuable in the determination of anti-influenza efficacy of novel entities against less severe (and thus more common) influenza infections.
Project description:Influenza A virus (IAV) infection can cause the lethal acute respiratory distress syndrome of the lung (ARDS). However, AKI is frequently noticed and correlated to an increased mortality. While the causality for influenza-related ARDS is well established, the pathogenesis of influenza-related AKI is incompletely understood. Yet, in post mortem studies of patients infected with H1N1- or H5N6-type IAV, viral antigen was detected in tubular and glomerular cells. Relevantly, receptors for human and avian IAV are present on human kidney cells, viremia was observed and IAV was repeatedly detected by infectivity- and PCR assays in human urine.