The effects of coronavirus on human nasal ciliated respiratory epithelium

Abstract

The effects of coronavirus on human nasal ciliated respiratory epithelium. M.A. Chilvers, M. McKean, A. Rutman, B.S. Myint, M. Silverman, C. O9Callaghan. #ERS Journals Ltd 2001. ABSTRACT: Human coronavirus (HCoV) accounts for 15-30% of common colds, but only one case report has described the effect of a coronavirus infection, that was asymptomatic, on human respiratory epithelium.The authors examined the effects of infection with HCoV on ciliary structure and function in healthy volunteers infected by intranasal inoculation with HCoV 229E. A further four volunteers were sham infected with ultraviolet-inactivated virus. Immediately before inoculation (day 0) and 3 days later (day 3), ciliated epithelium was obtained by brushing the inferior nasal turbinate. Ciliary beat frequency was determined and beat pattern analysed for evidence of dyskinesia (0=normal, 3=severely dyskinetic) using digital high-speed video photography. Ciliary ultrastructure was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Symptom diaries were kept for the duration of the study.All subjects inoculated with HCoV, including the three who did not develop symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, had disruption of their respiratory epithelium on day 3. Although there was no difference in the mean ciliary beat frequency between day 0 (11.3 Hz (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.6-14.0) and day 3 (9.4 Hz (95% CI 7.2-11.6)), there was a significant increase (pv0.05) in the ciliary dyskinesia score between day 0 (0.2 (95% CI 0-0.5)) and day 3 (1.1 (95% CI 0.5-1.7). In sham-infected subjects, no differences in epithelial integrity, or ciliary structure and function were found between day 0 and day 3.Inoculation of healthy volunteers with human coronavirus caused disruption of the ciliated epithelium and ciliary dyskinesia. This is likely to impair mucociliary clearance. Damage to the respiratory epithelium, due to human coronavirus infection, may occur without overt clinical symptoms. Eur Respir J 2001; 18: 965-970.

Viral–bacterial interactions in the respiratory tract

“…Viral infection can moreover cause a reduction of ciliary beat frequency, uncoordinated ciliary movement and a reduction in the number of ciliated cells (Chilvers et al, 2001;Smith et al, 2014a;Tristram et al, 1998). Given the importance of the mucociliary escalator for bacterial clearance, it is likely that reduced ciliary function hampers bacterial clearance from the LRT.…”

Persistent disruption of ciliated epithelium following paediatric lung transplantation

“…This was made possible by the recent advent of highresolution digital high-speed video imaging [18], which enabled us to assess the precise beat pattern of cilia by viewing the ciliary beat cycle frame by frame in different planes. Using this method, we have previously shown that cilia in certain conditions may have a normal beat frequency despite a markedly abnormal beat pattern [20], and normal ciliary beat frequency does not necessarily equate to normal ciliary function. Our finding of significantly reduced beat frequency and increased ciliary dyskinesia in the epithelium of native airway in the CF transplant recipients is in contrast to the study by READ et al [14] that showed a higher median (IQR) CBF of 10.8 (8.8-11.1) Hz in the native airway epithelium of the six adults with CF they studied.…”

“…Over a 2-yr period (2007)(2008)(2009) 20 children (aged ,18 yrs), who underwent flexible bronchoscopy following lung transplantation at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (London, UK), were studied and demographic and clinical details were collected. All subjects underwent pH/impedance studies to examine for evidence of pathological gastro-oesophageal reflux.…”

“…Detailed ultrastructure of the bronchial epithelial strips was studied using transmission electron microscopy, as described before with nasal epithelial brushings [20]. Detailed methodology Heart-lung 1 3…”

Canine respiratory viruses

“…However, coronavirus replication can damage the respiratory epithelium and lead to bacterial superinfections. The human respiratory coronavirus 229E can disrupt the respiratory epithelium and cause ciliary dyskinesia [40]. Accordingly, virus-induced alterations of the respiratory epithelium would trigger the replication of other pathogens, causing respiratory diseases resembling the ITB complex.…”