Andes Hantavirus-Infection of a 3D Human Lung Tissue Model Reveals a Late Peak in Progeny Virus Production Followed by Increased Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and VEGF-A

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 23;11(2):e0149354. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149354. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe acute disease with a 40% case fatality rate. Humans are infected via inhalation, and the lungs are severely affected during HPS, but little is known regarding the effects of ANDV-infection of the lung. Using a 3-dimensional air-exposed organotypic human lung tissue model, we analyzed progeny virus production and cytokine-responses after ANDV-infection. After a 7-10 day period of low progeny virus production, a sudden peak in progeny virus levels was observed during approximately one week. This peak in ANDV-production coincided in time with activation of innate immune responses, as shown by induction of type I and III interferons and ISG56. After the peak in ANDV production a low, but stable, level of ANDV progeny was observed until 39 days after infection. Compared to uninfected models, ANDV caused long-term elevated levels of eotaxin-1, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and VEGF-A that peaked 20-25 days after infection, i.e., after the observed peak in progeny virus production. Notably, eotaxin-1 was only detected in supernatants from infected models. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANDV replication in lung tissue elicits a late proinflammatory immune response with possible long-term effects on the local lung cytokine milieu. The change from an innate to a proinflammatory response might be important for the transition from initial asymptomatic infection to severe clinical disease, HPS.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Fibroblasts / virology
  • Hantavirus Infections* / metabolism
  • Hantavirus Infections* / pathology
  • Hantavirus Infections* / virology
  • Humans
  • Lung* / metabolism
  • Lung* / pathology
  • Lung* / virology
  • Models, Biological*
  • Orthohantavirus / physiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / virology
  • Syndrome
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*
  • Virus Replication*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council (Projects K2014-99X-22624-01-4 and K2015-56X-22774-01-3, www.vr.se) and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (Project SB12-0003, www.stratresearch.se), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm County Council, Åke Wibergs Stiftelse, and Magnus Bergvalls Stiftelse. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.