Received 18 September
2002; accepted 3 March 2003; electronically published 10 July 2003.
Innate and adaptiveimmune responses to
respiratorysyncytial virus (RSV) inneonates
were assessed bycord blood mononuclear cell
(MC) cytokine expression andproliferation and these
responseswere compared with thosefrom adult
peripheral bloodMCs. In adult cells,
inactivated and live virusinvoked cytokines reflecting
bothinnate and adaptive immunity(interleukin
[IL]6, interferon [IFN],IL-2, tumor necrosis factor
[TNF], and IL-10). Lowlevels
of IL-4 weredetected, although only with
inactivated virus. In contrast,in neonatal cells,
inactivatedvirus invoked large levelsof the
innate immunecytokines IL-6, TNF-,
andIL-10 and reduced levelsof IFN- and IL-12but no adaptive cytokines.Live virus induced fewerinnate (IL-6, IL-10, andIFN-) and no adaptiveimmune cytokines.
RSV-induced proliferationwas absent in neonatalMCs, although positive inadult MCs. Thus, exposureto RSV does notappear to occur before
birth, and adaptive immuneinsufficiency or greater
innateresponses may account forearly life
RSV-induced illnesses.
Presentedin part: American Academy
of Allergy, Asthma andImmunology (AAAAI), New Orleans,1621
March 2001 (abstract311); AAAAI, San Diego,38 March
2000 (abstract887).
Financial support: National Institutesof Health (grants
AI-44697,P50 HL 67672, andAI-42268).
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