title: Nasopharyngeal aspirate cytokine levels 1 yr after severe respiratory syncytial virus infection.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is an important cause of recurrent wheezing in infants. Nevertheless, the link between RSV infection and wheezing has yet to be elucidated at the molecular level. Here, we present a preliminary study on the evolution of the immune response in the respiratory tract at long-term after RSV infection. Twenty-seven immune mediators were profiled in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) obtained from 20 children hospitalized due to a severe infection by RSV at discharge from hospital and again 1 yr later. The same mediators were profiled in parallel in NPAs from 12 healthy controls. In the year following discharge, 85% (17/20) of children of the RSV group suffered at least one episode of wheezing documented by the pediatrician. On the contrary, wheezing episodes were observed only in 25% (3/12) of children in the control group. While most of the mediators profiled returned to normal levels by 1 yr after discharge from hospital, RSV children showed a persistent nasal hyper-secretion of VEGF, G-CSF, IL-10, IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-7 and IL-13. In previous works VEGF, IL-10 and IFN-gamma have been put in relation with the pathogenesis of post-virus induced asthma. G-CSF, IL-6, IL-7 and IL-13 are increased in respiratory and plasma samples of asthmatic patients. Here, we evidence for the first time a persistent elevation of these mediators as late as 1 yr after severe RSV disease resolution, reinforcing their possible implication in the pathogenesis of wheezing.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico Universitario, 47005 Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kelvin
authors.forename: Jesus F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bermejo-Martin
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matías
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tenorio
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rico
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Eiros
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castrodeza
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco-Quiros
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ardura
authors.forename: Raul Ortiz
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: de Lejarazu
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines