This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 2006-0199TRv1 35/5/513    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Proud, D. Articles by Chow, C.-W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Proud, D. Articles by Chow, C.-W.

Role of Viral Infections in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Airway Inflammation Group and Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta; and Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, and Toronto General Hospital of the University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to David Proud, Ph.D., Professor & Head, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Calgary, HSC 1627, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1 Canada. E-mail: dproud{at}ucalgary.ca

Substantial evidence implicates common respiratory viral infections in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Children who experience recurrent virally induced wheezing episodes during infancy are at greater risk for developing asthma. In addition, respiratory viral infections are a major trigger for acute exacerbations of both asthma and COPD. Despite the importance of viral infections in asthma and COPD, the mechanisms by which viruses predispose to, or cause exacerbations of, these diseases remain poorly understood. It is clear that viral infections lead to enhanced airway inflammation and can cause airways hyperresponsiveness. The epithelial cell is the principal site of viral infection in the airways and plays a central role in viral modulation of airway inflammation via release of a variety of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. The mechanisms by which viral infections modulate epithelial function, therefore, is a topic of intense investigation. The epithelium also contributes to the host innate defense response to viral infection by releasing products that are antiviral and/or can lead to increased recruitment of dendritic cells and lymphocytes. Some evidence supports a role for the epithelial cell in specific immunity, although the response of more conventional cells of the immune system to viral infections is likely the dominant factor in this regard. Although current therapies may help combat virally induced disease exacerbations, they are less than ideal. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying viral modulation of these diseases, therefore, may lead to new therapeutic approaches.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. J. Thomas, M. Lindsay, H. Dagher, N. J. Freezer, D. Li, R. Ghildyal, and P. G. Bardin Transforming Growth Factor-{beta} Enhances Rhinovirus Infection by Diminishing Early Innate Responses Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., September 1, 2009; 41(3): 339 - 347. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P Gudgeon, D A Wells, M O Baerlocher, and A S Detsky Do you come to work with a respiratory tract infection? Occup. Environ. Med., June 1, 2009; 66(6): 424 - 424. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Ito, C. Herbert, J. S. Siegle, C. Vuppusetty, N. Hansbro, P. S. Thomas, P. S. Foster, P. J. Barnes, and R. K. Kumar Steroid-Resistant Neutrophilic Inflammation in a Mouse Model of an Acute Exacerbation of Asthma Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., November 1, 2008; 39(5): 543 - 550. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Lauer, S. C. Erzurum, D. Mukhopadhyay, A. Vasanji, J. Drazba, A. Wang, C. Fulop, and V. C. Hascall Differentiated Murine Airway Epithelial Cells Synthesize a Leukocyte-adhesive Hyaluronan Matrix in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress J. Biol. Chem., September 19, 2008; 283(38): 26283 - 26296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Liu, R. C. Gualano, M. L. Hibbs, G. P. Anderson, and S. Bozinovski Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling to Erk1/2 and STATs Control the Intensity of the Epithelial Inflammatory Responses to Rhinovirus Infection J. Biol. Chem., April 11, 2008; 283(15): 9977 - 9985. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. G. Nichols, A. J. Peck Campbell, and M. Boeckh Respiratory Viruses Other than Influenza Virus: Impact and Therapeutic Advances Clin. Microbiol. Rev., April 1, 2008; 21(2): 274 - 290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Tliba and Y. Amrani Airway Smooth Muscle Cell as an Inflammatory Cell: Lessons Learned from Interferon Signaling Pathways Proceedings of the ATS, January 1, 2008; 5(1): 106 - 112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. James and S. Wenzel Clinical relevance of airway remodelling in airway diseases Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2007; 30(1): 134 - 155. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. F. Rabe, B. Beghe, F. Luppi, and L. M. Fabbri Update in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2006 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2007; 175(12): 1222 - 1232. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. B. Panitch The Relationship Between Early Respiratory Viral Infections and Subsequent Wheezing and Asthma Clinical Pediatrics, June 1, 2007; 46(5): 392 - 400. [PDF]

				R. Newton, N. S. Holden, M. C. Catley, W. Oyelusi, R. Leigh, D. Proud, and P. J. Barnes Repression of Inflammatory Gene Expression in Human Pulmonary Epithelial Cells by Small-Molecule I{kappa}B Kinase Inhibitors J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., May 1, 2007; 321(2): 734 - 742. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]