Raiden Silvina, Sananez Inés, Remes-Lenicov Federico, Pandolfi Julieta, Romero Cecilia, De Lillo Leonardo, Ceballos Ana, Geffner Jorge, Arruvito Lourdes
Hospital General de Niños "Pedro de Elizalde".
Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", Universidad de Buenos Aires.
J Infect Dis. 2017 Apr 1;215(7):1049-1058. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jix070.
Although human airway epithelial cells are the main target of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), it also infects immune cells, such as macrophages and B cells. Whether T cells are permissive to RSV infection is unknown. We sought to analyze the permissiveness of CD4+ T cells to RSV infection.
CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from cord blood, healthy young children, and adults were challenged by RSV or cocultured with infected HEp-2 cells. Infection, phenotype, and cytokine production by T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of RSV antigens by circulating CD4+ T cells from infected children was analyzed by flow cytometry, and disease severity was defined by standard criteria.
CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were productively infected by RSV. Infection decreased interleukin 2 and interferon γ production as well as the expression of CD25 and Ki-67 by activated CD4+ T cells. Respiratory syncytial virus antigens were detected in circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during severe RSV infection of young children. Interestingly, the frequency of CD4+ RSV+ T cells positively correlated with disease severity.
Respiratory syncytial virus infects CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and compromises T-cell function. The frequency of circulating CD4+ RSV+ T cells might represent a novel marker of severe infection.
尽管人气道上皮细胞是呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）的主要靶细胞，但它也感染免疫细胞，如巨噬细胞和B细胞。T细胞是否易受RSV感染尚不清楚。我们试图分析CD4⁺ T细胞对RSV感染的易感性。
用RSV对来自脐带血、健康幼儿和成人的CD4⁺和CD8⁺ T细胞进行攻击，或与感染的HEp-2细胞共培养。通过流式细胞术或酶联免疫吸附测定分析T细胞的感染情况、表型和细胞因子产生。通过流式细胞术分析感染儿童循环CD4⁺ T细胞中RSV抗原的表达，并根据标准标准定义疾病严重程度。
CD4⁺和CD8⁺ T细胞被RSV有效感染。感染降低了活化CD4⁺ T细胞的白细胞介素2和干扰素γ产生以及CD25和Ki-67的表达。在幼儿严重RSV感染期间，在循环CD4⁺和CD8⁺ T细胞中检测到呼吸道合胞病毒抗原。有趣的是，CD4⁺ RSV⁺ T细胞的频率与疾病严重程度呈正相关。
呼吸道合胞病毒感染CD4⁺和CD8⁺ T细胞并损害T细胞功能。循环CD4⁺ RSV⁺ T细胞的频率可能代表严重感染的一个新标志物。
