Role of MCP-3 and –4 in children with virus exacerbation of asthma

¹ Dept of Immunogenetics and Allergy
² Dept of Virology, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases and Biomedicine Foundation; México

	Abstract

Macrophages play a crucial role in respiratory viral infections. However, the mechanisms by which these cells are recruited locally are not fully understood. We study the role of the chemokines Monocyte Chemotactic Protein (MCP)-1, -2 -3 and -4 on monocyte/macrophage recruitment during respiratory viral infections. Levels of these chemokines were investigated in nasal aspirates from 6–12 years old children suffering respiratory viral infections, caused by rhinoviruses, influenza viruses, parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus.

MCP-3 and -4 were significantly higher in samples derived from virus-infected children compared with samples from the same children when they had been asymptomatic. Concentrations of both chemokines were found to correlate with the number of recruited nasal macrophages significantly. Chemotaxis assays showed that purified MCP-3 and -4 from nasal aspirates showed biological activity in vitro. There were not significant differences in MCP-1 and MCP-2 levels between both groups.

Our data indicates that MCP-3 and -4 may have an important role in macrophage recruitment in children with proven upper respiratory viral infections. These chemokines could be potential target for therapeutic intervention in respiratory viral infections.