title: Respiratory syncytial virus binds and undergoes transcription in neutrophils from the blood and airways of infants with severe bronchiolitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neutrophils are the predominant cell in the lung inflammatory infiltrate of infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. Although it has previously been shown that neutrophils from both blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) are activated, little is understood about their role in response to RSV infection. This study investigated whether RSV proteins and mRNA are present in neutrophils from blood and BAL of infected infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained blood and BAL samples from 20 infants with severe RSV bronchiolitis and 8 healthy control infants. Neutrophil RSV F, G, and N proteins, RSV N genomic RNA, and messenger RNA (mRNA) were quantified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RSV proteins were found in BAL and blood neutrophils in infants with RSV disease but not in neutrophils from healthy infants. BAL and blood neutrophils from infants with RSV disease, but not those from healthy infants, expressed RSV N genomic RNA, indicating uptake of whole virus; 17 of 20 BAL and 8 of 9 blood neutrophils from patients expressed RSV N mRNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work shows, for the first time, the presence of RSV proteins and mRNA transcripts within BAL and blood neutrophils from infants with severe RSV bronchiolitis.
authors: Division of Child Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Royal Liverpool, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, UK.
authors: Clare P
authors: CP
authors: Halfhide
authors: Brian F
authors: BF
authors: Flanagan
authors: Stephen P
authors: SP
authors: Brearey
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Hunt
authors: Angela M
authors: AM
authors: Fonceca
authors: Paul S
authors: PS
authors: McNamara
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Howarth
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Edwards
authors: Rosalind L
authors: RL
authors: Smyth
mesh_terms: D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C502275:G glycoprotein, Respiratory syncytial virus; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins