Microparticle and anti-influenza activity in human respiratory secretion

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 23;12(8):e0183717. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183717. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Respiratory secretions, such as saliva and bronchoalveolar fluid, contain anti-influenza activity. Multiple soluble factors have been described that exert anti-influenza activity and are believed to be responsible for the anti-influenza activity in respiratory secretions. It was previously shown that a bronchial epithelial cell culture could produce exosome-like particles with anti-influenza activity. Whether such extracellular vesicles in respiratory secretions have anti-influenza activity is unknown. Therefore, we characterized bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and found microparticles, which mostly stained positive for epithelial cell markers and both α2,3- and α2,6-linked sialic acid. Microparticles were purified from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and shown to exhibit anti-influenza activity by a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and a neutralization (NT) assay. In addition, physical binding between influenza virions and microparticles was demonstrated by electron microscopy. These findings indicate that respiratory microparticles containing viral receptors can exert anti-viral activity by probably trapping viral particles. This innate mechanism may play an important role in the defense against respiratory viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid*
  • Cell-Derived Microparticles / metabolism*
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Influenza A virus / physiology*
  • Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Middle Aged
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / metabolism
  • Saliva*
  • Virion / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a research grant (61047) from the National Research Council of Thailand. O.S. and C.B. were supported by the research assistant program, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj hospital, Mahidol University, and P.A. was supported by a grant (RTA5780009) from Thailand Research Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.