Evidence for cytokine mediation of disease expression in adults experimentally infected with influenza A virus.
The roles of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in mediating the symptoms and signs of influenza A infection were examined. Adults were intranasally inoculated with a rimantadine-sensitive strain of influenza A HlNl virus and treated with rimantadine or placebo. Viral shedding, secretion weights, symptom scores, and concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 in nasal lavage fluids were compared between treatment groups. Viral shedding was associated with increases in local and systemic symptoms, in expelled secretion weights, and in levels of IL-6 and IL-8. Compared with placebo, rimantadine treatment reduced viral shedding, systemic symptoms, and levels of IL-8. Days of viral shedding and IL-6 but not IL-8 concentrations were significantly correlated with the other measures of symptoms and signs. These data support a causal relationship between viral replication, cytokine production, and symptom expression, and they suggest that IL-6 may have a role in mediating symptom and sign expression during influenza A infection.
Skoner
D P
DP
Department of Pediatrics, Allergy/Immunology Section, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. skonerd@chplink.chp.edu
Gentile
D A
DA
Patel
A
A
Doyle
W J
WJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus / Q000276:immunology; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D012299:Rimantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012299:Rimantadine