Effects of allergic airway disease on mouse adenovirus type 1 respiratory infection

Virology. 2009 Aug 15;391(1):25-32. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2009.06.009. Epub 2009 Jun 28.

Abstract

Virus infection may contribute to asthma pathogenesis. In turn, a Th2-polarized pulmonary environment may increase host susceptibility to infection. We used a cockroach antigen (CRA) model of allergic airway disease to test the hypothesis that Th2 cytokine overproduction increases susceptibility to mouse adenovirus type 1 (MAV-1). CRA sensitization led to upregulated lung expression of IL-4 and IL-13, lung cellular inflammation, and exaggerated airway mucus production. Following intranasal MAV-1 infection, lung cellular inflammation was more pronounced in CRA-sensitized mice than in unsensitized mice at 7 days post-infection but not at a later time point. CRA sensitization did not significantly suppress lung IFN-gamma expression, and lung IFN-gamma expression was upregulated in both CRA-sensitized mice and unsensitized mice over the course of MAV-1 infection. Despite CRA-induced differences in pulmonary inflammation, MAV-1 viral loads in lung and spleen and MAV-1 gene expression in the lung did not differ between CRA-sensitized and unsensitized mice. Our data therefore suggest that MAV-1 pathogenesis is not affected directly or indirectly by the Th2 polarization associated with allergic airway disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / immunology*
  • Adenoviridae Infections / immunology*
  • Adenoviridae Infections / pathology
  • Animals
  • Asthma / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-4 / immunology
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / immunology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / pathology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology*
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / virology

Substances

  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma