Rhinovirus-induced modulation of gene expression in bronchial epithelial cells from subjects with asthma

Human Rhinovirus (HRV) infection can trigger exacerbations of asthma. Understanding of the mechanisms provoking airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma, as well as the pathogenic mechanisms of HRV infection and its association with asthma exacerbations, may offer significant opportunities for improved disease management. Genome-wide expression analysis of HRV type 1A-infected primary bronchial epithelial (PBE) cells from normal and asthmatic donors was performed to determine whether asthma is associated with a unique pattern of gene expression after HRV infection in vitro. Keywords: response to rhinovirus infection Frozen stocks of human PBE cells obtained from the bronchial brushings of six normal and five asthmatic individuals were grown in vitro in Bronchial Epithelial Growth Media (BEGM, Lonza). Subconfluent monolayers of PBE cells were infected with purified and concentrated minor group HRV serotype 1A at multiplicity of infection of 10 plaque forming units (pfu) per cell or mock-infected with growth media alone. Cells were lysed 16 hours post infection (p.i.). Isolated total RNAs were analyzed using the Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 GeneChip arrays (Samples S7-S18) or Affymetrix Human HG-Focus arrays samples (Samples S1-S6). Samples S1-S6 and Samples S7-S18 were normalized by RMA using different methods.