title: Prevention of Influenza Virus-Induced Immunopathology by TGF-β Produced during Allergic Asthma.
abstract: Asthma is believed to be a risk factor for influenza infection, however little experimental evidence exists to directly demonstrate the impact of asthma on susceptibility to influenza infection. Using a mouse model, we now report that asthmatic mice are actually significantly more resistant to a lethal influenza virus challenge. Notably, the observed increased resistance was not attributable to enhanced viral clearance, but instead, was due to reduced lung inflammation. Asthmatic mice exhibited a significantly reduced cytokine storm, as well as reduced total protein levels and cytotoxicity in the airways, indicators of decreased tissue injury. Further, asthmatic mice had significantly increased levels of TGF-β1 and the heightened resistance of asthmatic mice was abrogated in the absence of TGF-β receptor II. We conclude that a transient increase in TGF-β expression following acute asthma can induce protection against influenza-induced immunopathology.
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Andrea K M
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sanfilippo
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dennis W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Metzger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D009980:Influenza A virus; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1