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Respiratory syncytial virus enhances respiratory allergy in mice despite the inhibitory effect of virus‐induced interferon‐γ
Author(s) -
Barends Marion,
Boelen Anita,
de Rond Lia,
Dormans Jan,
Kwakkel Joan,
van Oosten Marijke,
Neijens Herman J.,
Kimman Tjeerd G.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.10252
Subject(s) - ovalbumin , immunology , allergy , immune system , virus , respiratory system , mononegavirales , medicine , virology , interferon gamma , cytokine , interferon , paramyxoviridae , viral disease
In mice, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection during allergic provocation aggravates the allergic Th2 immune response, characterised by production of interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5, and IL‐13, and eosinophilic inflammation. This enhancement of the Th2 response occurs simultaneously with a strong RSV‐induced Th1 cytokine response (IL‐12 and IFN‐γ). The present study investigated whether IFN‐γ and IL‐12 are critically involved in this RSV‐enhanced OVA allergy. Therefore, IFN‐γR‐ and IL‐12‐deficient mice (both on a 129/Sv/Ev background) were sensitised and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) and infected with RSV during the OVA challenge period. Neither gene deletion affected the development of ovalbumin‐induced allergic inflammation in mice. However, when OVA‐allergic IFN‐γR deficient mice were infected with RSV, an increased pulmonary eosinophilic infiltrate and increased IL‐4 and IL‐13 mRNA expression in lung tissue were observed compared with identically treated wild‐type mice. In contrast, deficiency of IL‐12 did not aggravate the Th2 immune and inflammatory response in OVA/RSV‐treated mice, compared with wild‐type. In conclusion, the virus‐induced IFN‐γ response diminishes the Th2 inflammatory response during OVA allergy but fails to prevent totally the enhancement of the OVA allergy by RSV. In contrast, IL‐12 is not involved in inhibiting nor increasing the RSV‐enhanced allergy in 129/Sv/Ev mice. J. Med. Virol. 69:156–162, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.