In vitro studies of neutrophil activation by rhinovirus

Abstract

The exact role of neutrophilic accumulation in respiratory viral infections is unclear. Rhinoviruses are the most common respiratory virus. Potential interaction between rhinovirus and neutrophil is unknown. The direct interaction between neutrophils and rhinovirus were studied in this thesis. Neutrophils are found to express low levels of rhinovirus receptor ICAM-1. Rhinovirus can bind with the receptor and induce the changes of the expression of surface activation markers on neutrophils. Rhinovirus can enter, but does not replicate in neutrophils. The productions of IL-8, MIP-1I? and MIP-1I? are increased in the isolated neutrophils in response to rhinovirus direct stimulation. Therefore, neutrophils are likely to play an active role in the pathogenesis of rhinovirus infection.