Rhinovirus infection of human embryonic lung fibroblasts induces the production of a chemoattractant for polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Abstract

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) appear in the nasal mucosa during rhinovirus colds before the onset of symptoms. This study describes a chemoattractant for PMNLs that is elaborated by human embryonic lung fibroblast cells infected with rhinovirus. Chemotaxis assays were done in a 48-well microchemotaxis chamber with normal adult PMNLs. Medium supernatants from rhinovirus-infected cell culture attracted 87 + 6 (mean ± SE) PMNLs/10 high-power fields (x450) compared with 38 ± 6 PMNLs/10 high- power fields attracted by medium from uninfected cell cultures (P