Syncytial virus influenced by pulmonary mesenchymal stem cells

Soumya Shraddhya Paul, Amity University, Noida

Organs’ capacity to maintain homeostasis and recover after harm is critical to an organism’s survival. Many supporting cells, including tissue-resident mesenchymal stem and stromal cells (MSCs), keep these processes going. MSCs are found in almost all vascularized tissues, including the upper and lower respiratory tracts. They are found in the perivascular niches of tiny and bigger blood arteries, and they have been proven to be lung-resident.

Lung-resident (LR)-MSCs can interact with epithelial cells in the alveolar niche, promoting alveolar cell proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal. As established in artificial rodent models of lung damage, this is especially important for epithelium maintenance, repair, and regeneration. Failure of these processes might be a factor in the development of a variety of chronic lung illnesses. LR-MSCs can interact directly with diverse pulmonary immune cell populations via cellular contact or indirectly by the release of soluble substances in a paracrine way.

What is the human respiratory syncytial virus?

The human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is extremely common and puts a significant strain on public health systems. RSV is the most common cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infections in young children across the world, and its impact on the elderly is thought to be underappreciated. Therefore a thorough study has been conducted to show that LR-MSCs are involved in virus-mediated acute lung damage, which might have therapeutic implications conducted by Melanie Brügger along with her colleagues.

Brief about the study:

A study conducted by Melanie Brügger along with her colleagues (Brügger et al.) published in PLOS PATHOGENS (A Peer-Reviewed Open-Access Journal) showed that the key element of alveolar niche lung resident (LR) mesenchymal stem and stromal cells that helps in the regulation of homeostasis and regeneration. Their function was checked during lung induced injury by using a highly infectious syncytial virus. This showed severe outcomes in infants. A similar approach was studied in lamb by introducing primary pediatric LR-MSCS(isolated from lung transplant patients) and a modern model of human RSV infection. Astonishingly, RSV infection in pediatric LR_MSCs showed vigorous activation. It showed the presence of Antiviral and pro-inflammatory phenotypes, as well as mediators linked to T cell activity.

In vivo (within the cell) infection, RSV takes over the LR-MSCs and activates it causing expansion of the pulmonary MSC pool. The LR-MSCs switch from an early antiviral signature to a repair mechanism including differentiation, tissue modelling and angiogenesis(role in the growth of cancer ) following RSV infection. This result shows the therapeutic value of LR-MSCs in virus-mediated acute lung injury caused by RSV.

Results obtained in the study:

MSCs help in the treatment of highly infectious viral diseases as seen in transplant patients. It also secretes antimicrobial peptide and tryptophan catabolizing enzymes which helps to fight against viruses, bacteria and as well as protozoans.

This relation between the virus and MSCs can have both good and bad consequences. MSCs can have deleterious effects and can facilitate viral transmission, further worsening the situation. Thus, screening of both the recipient and the donor should be done before administering MSCs.

Also read: Gene transfer in Gymnosperm: Ancient Mitochondrial genome

References:

1. Brügger, M., Démoulins, T., Barut, G. T., Zumkehr, B., Oliveira Esteves, B. I., Mehinagic, K., Haas, Q., Schögler, A., Rameix-Welti, M.-A., Eléouët, J.-F., Moehrlen, U., Marti, T. M., Schmid, R. A., Summerfield, A., Posthaus, H., Ruggli, N., Hall, S. R. R., & Alves, M. P. (2021). Pulmonary mesenchymal stem cells are engaged in distinct steps of host response to respiratory syncytial virus infection. PLOS Pathogens, 17(7), e1009789. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009789

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Author info:

Soumya Shraddhya Paul is an undergrad biotechnology student who worked in building 3D prosthetics in Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, and holds a key interest in nutraceuticals and enzymology.

Publications:

• https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/understanding-b-cell-genomics-to-fight-against-covid-19/
• https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/the-current-ebola-epidemic-comes-to-an-end/

Social Media Info: www.linkedin.com/in/soumya-shraddhya-paul-858229203