M1-like, but not M0- or M2-like, macrophages, reduce RSV infection of primary bronchial epithelial cells in a media-dependent fashion

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 13;17(10):e0276013. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276013. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common childhood infection that in young infants can progress into severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Disease pathogenesis results from both viral mediated and host immune processes of which alveolar macrophages play an important part. Here, we investigated the role of different types of alveolar macrophages on RSV infection using an in vitro co-culture model involving primary tissue-derived human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) and human blood monocyte-derived M0-like, M1-like, or M2-like macrophages. It was hypothesized that the in vitro model would recapitulate previous in vivo findings of a protective effect of macrophages against RSV infection. It was found that macrophages maintained their phenotype for the 72-hour co-culture time period and the bronchial epithelial cells were unaffected by the macrophage media. HBEC infection with RSV was decreased by M1-like macrophages but enhanced by M0- or M2-like macrophages. The medium used during the co-culture also impacted the outcome of the infection. This work demonstrates that alveolar macrophage phenotypes may have differential roles during epithelial RSV infection, and demonstrates that an in vitro co-culture model could be used to further investigate the roles of macrophages during bronchial viral infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Macrophages
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / pathology
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections*
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human*

Grants and funding

NJR was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program (Project Number IT11399). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. There was no additional external funding received for this study.