INTERLEUKIN-11 - STIMULATION IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO BY RESPIRATORY VIRUSES AND INDUCTION OF AIRWAYS HYPERRESPONSIVENESS

To address the role of IL-11 in viral airways dysfunction, we determin ed whether infectious agents that exacerbate asthma stimulate stromal cell IL-11 production, determined whether IL-11 could be detected at s ites of viral infection and evaluated the effects of IL-11 on airway p hysiology. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3), and rhinovirus (RV) 14 were potent stimulators while cytome galovirus and adenovirus only weakly stimulated and herpes simplex vir us type 2 and bacteria did not stimulate IL-11 elaboration. IL-11 was not detected or barely detected in nasal aspirates from children witho ut, but was detected in aspirates from children with viral upper respi ratory tract infections. The levels of IL-11 were highest in patients with clinically detectable wheezing. IL-11 also caused nonspecific air ways hyperresponsiveness in BALB/c mice. These studies demonstrate tha t three major causes of viral-induced asthma, RSV, RV, and PIV, in con trast to other viruses and bacteria, share the ability to induce strom al cell IL-11 production. They also demonstrate that IL-11 can be dete cted in vivo during viral respiratory infections, that the presence of TL-11 correlates with clinical bronchospasm and that IL-11 is a poten t inducer of airways hyperresponsiveness. IL-11 may be an important me diator in viral airways disorders.