PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Wenming Duan
AU  - Yuchen Cen
AU  - Cindy Lin
AU  - Hong Ouyang
AU  - Kai Du
AU  - Anushree Kumar
AU  - Borui Wang
AU  - Julie Avolio
AU  - Hartmut Grasemann
AU  - Theo J Moraes
TI  - Inflammatory epithelial cytokines post <em>in vitro</em> respiratory syncytial viral infection are associated with reduced lung function
AID  - 10.1183/23120541.00365-2021
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - ERJ Open Research
PG  - 00365-2021
4099  - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/06/17/23120541.00365-2021.short
4100  - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/06/17/23120541.00365-2021.full
AB  - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections in early life predispose children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) to more severe lung function decline in later life. The mechanisms explaining the associations between RSV and progression of CF lung disease are not clear.In this study, a human bronchial epithelial cell line (HBE) and primary human nasal epithelial cells (PNECs) from individuals with CF and healthy control donors were infected with RSV. RT-PCR, plaque assay, cytokine detection, immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses were performed.RSV replicated to higher level in CF epithelial cells as compared to control cells, however no defects in innate immune pathways were identified in CF cells. Rather, primary p.Phe508del CFTR PNECs produced more cytokines after RSV infection than control cells. Moreover, IL8 and TNF-α production post RSV negatively correlated with lung function (% predicted forced expired volume in 1 s or FEV1) in the individuals who donated the cellsThese data suggest that CF epithelium has a dysfunctional response to RSV allowing for enhanced viral replication and an exaggerated inflammatory response that ultimately may predispose to greater airway inflammation and reduced lung function.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Dr. Duan has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Cen has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Ouyang has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Du has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Anushree Kumar has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Avolio has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Grasemann has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Moraes has nothing to disclose.