Abstract
Background: Human rhinovirus C (HRV-C) accounts for a large proportion of HRV-related illnesses, but the immune response to HRV-C infection has not been elucidated. Our objective was to assess the effect of HRV-C on cytokine secretion in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells grown at air–liquid interface (ALI) and compare it with that of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Methods: HBE cells were differentiated at ALI culture and the full-length cDNA clones of HRV-C651 and HRV-C15, clinical isolates of HRV-C79 and HRV-C101, and two RSV isolates were inoculated in the HBE cells. The effect of HRV-C on cytokine secretion were assessed and compared with that of RSV.Results: HRV-Cs infects and propagates in fully differentiated HBE cells and significantly increased the secretion of IFN-λ1, CCL5, IP10, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1. The virus load positively correlated with the levels of the cytokines. HRV-C induced lower secretion of CCL5 (P=0.048), IL-6 (P=0.016), MCP-1 (P=0.008), and IL-8 (P=0.032), and similar secretion of IP10 (P=0.214) and IFN-λ1 (P=0.214) when compared with RSV. Conclusion: HBE ALI culture system supported HRV-C infection and propagation and HRV-C induced relatively weaker cytokine expression than RSV.
Metagenomic analysis identified co-infection with human rhinovirus C and bocavirus 1 in an adult suffering from severe pneumonia
