P. Hofmann et al., SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MONONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTES TO INFLUENZA-A VIRUS-INFECTION AND POSSIBLE ROLE IN THE ANTIVIRAL RESPONSE, Journal of leukocyte biology, 61(4), 1997, pp. 408-414
Among leukocytes, only monocytes and macrophages were found to be high
ly susceptible to an infection by influenza A virus. After infection,
de novo viral protein synthesis was initiated but then interrupted aft
er 4-6 h. Most macrophages died by apoptosis within 25-30 h. Before ce
ll death, however, macrophages responded to influenza A virus with a h
igh cytokine gene transcription and subsequent release of tumor necros
is factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, interferon (I
FN)-alpha/beta, and CC-chemokines. The basic mechanisms of virus-induc
ed cytokine expression are still unknown and appear to involve transcr
iption factors such as nuclear factor-kappa B and AP-1 which, however,
were only activated for 2 h and declined below control values thereaf
ter. After influenza A virus infection, only the mononuclear cell attr
acting CC-chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 al
pha), MIP-1 beta, and RANTES were produced while the prototype neutrop
hil CXC-chemoattractants IL-8 and GRO-alpha were entirely suppressed.
This selective induction of CC-chemokines may explain the preferential
influx of mononuclear leukocytes into virus-infected tissue. Our data
show that monocytes and macrophages represent a primary target for an
influenza A virus infection. Thus, the mononuclear phagocyte response
leads to a rapid proinflammatory reaction and an enhanced immigration
of mononuclear leukocytes, which may condition the infected host for
the subsequent virus antigen-specific defense.