Sidestream smoke exposure increases the susceptibility of airway epithelia to adenoviral infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although significant epidemiological evidence indicates that cigarette smoke exposure increases the incidence and severity of viral infection, the molecular mechanisms behind the increased susceptibility of the respiratory tract to viral pathogens are unclear. Adenoviruses are non-enveloped DNA viruses and important causative agents of acute respiratory disease. The Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is the primary receptor for many adenoviruses. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke exposure increases epithelial susceptibility to adenovirus infection by increasing the abundance of apical CAR.

Methodology and findings

Cultured human airway epithelial cells (CaLu-3) were used as a model to investigate the effect of sidestream cigarette smoke (SSS), mainstr

SUBMITTER: Sharma P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3499494 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature