Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Vol 150, No. 4, Oct 1994, 1130-1136.
Immunohistochemical analysis of nasal biopsies during rhinovirus experimental colds
DJ Fraenkel, PG Bardin, G Sanderson, F Lampe, SL Johnston and ST Holgate
University Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, United Kingdom.
Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are an important cause of upper respiratory tract
infection and are etiologically linked with asthma exacerbations. However,
the mechanisms of virus-induced inflammation are largely unknown. We
examined nasal mucosal biopsies for the presence of an associated
inflammatory cellular infiltrate during experimental rhinovirus infection.
A group of 21 adult volunteers (10 atopic) had baseline nasal biopsies,
followed 2 wk later by inoculation with HRV Serotype 16. Nasal biopsies
were taken on Day 4 of the cold and again 6- 10 wk later. Infection was
documented by symptom scores, viral culture, and seroconversion. The
biopsies were fixed in acetone and processed into glycol methacrylate resin
for semithin sectioning. Mast cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and
neutrophils were identified with appropriate monoclonal antibodies and a
streptavidin-biotin horseradish peroxidase technique. There were no
significant changes in the numbers of inflammatory cells present during the
cold or the convalescent period compared with baseline biopsies (Wilcoxon
paired, p > 0.05). There were also no differences between normal and
atopic groups. We suggest that rhinoviral colds are not associated with
increased inflammatory cellularity and that other mechanisms, such as
increased mediator release, are responsible for coryzal symptoms.
