Pro-asthma-like responses of Human Mast Cells to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the main causative agent of infant respiratory disease and hospitalization worldwide. Children who acquire severe forms of RSV disease are more prone to developing asthma and allergies later in life. Mast cells are tissue resident immune cells that are abundant in the airways and are closely associated with blood vessels. Mast cells have been extensively studied in the context of allergy and asthma and several studies have highlighted their importance in the context of viral infection. This project will examine how mast cells respond to RSV by assessing the various proteins and other substances released by the mast cells upon exposure to the virus. Furthermore, the effect of these mast cell derived substances on cells lining blood vessels and on recruitment of other immune cells will be evaluated. Our preliminary results have shown an elevated secretion of various proteins by mast cells in response to RSV, which aid in immune cell recruitment. Additionally, we have shown that mast cells treated with RSV have activating effects on cells lining blood vessels, potentially due to the release of IL-13, a protein that is highly implicated in allergic disease and blood vessel cell activation. We will also examine, using Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), whether RSV is able to actively infect mast cells. Future directions for this project will examine how the body's immune response regulates RSV infection of mast cells. The findings of this study will help us better understand the link between RSV disease in children and the development of allergies and asthma later in life. Additionally, this project will improve our understanding of RSV infection, helping identify novel therapeutic targets and aiding in the development of vaccines.