Objective: To investigate the expression of IFN-λ1 in respiratory epithelial cells of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and its relationship with RSV load.
Methods: The nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from the children who were hospitalized with respiratory tract infection from June 2015 to June 2016. A direct immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the antigens of seven common respiratory viruses (including RSV) in the nasopharyngeal swabs. A total of 120 children who were only RSV positive were selected as the RSV infection group. A total of 50 children who had negative results in the detection of all viral antigens were selected as the healthy control group. Fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the RSV load and the expression of IFN-λ1 mRNA in the nasopharyngeal swabs of children in the two groups.
Results: The expression of IFN-λ1 in the RSV infection group was significantly higher than that in the healthy control group (P<0.05). The expression of IFN-λ1 was positively correlated with RSV load (r=0.56, P<0.05).
Conclusions: RSV can induce the expression of IFN-λ1 in respiratory epithelial cells, suggesting that IFN-λ1 may play an important role in anti-RSV infection.
目的: 了解呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染患儿呼吸道上皮细胞中干扰素（IFN）-λ1的表达水平及其与RSV载量的关系。
方法: 收集2015年6月至2016年6月期间因呼吸道感染住院患儿的鼻咽拭子标本，采用直接免疫荧光法行7种常见呼吸道病毒（含RSV）抗原检测，筛选出单纯RSV阳性患儿作为RSV感染组（n=120）；另收集同期门诊体检健康儿童鼻咽拭子标本，行7种常见呼吸道病毒检查均为阴性的儿童作为健康对照组（n=50）。对两组儿童鼻咽拭子标本行荧光定量PCR检测RSV载量和IFN-λ1 mRNA水平。
结果: RSV感染组鼻咽拭子中IFN-λ1 mRNA水平显著高于健康对照组（P < 0.05），且IFN-λ1 mRNA水平与RSV载量呈正相关（r=0.56，P < 0.05）。
结论: RSV可诱导呼吸道上皮细胞中IFN-λ1的表达，推测IFN-λ1在机体抗RSV感染中可能起重要作用。