Airway inflammation is a critical feature of lower respiratory tract infections caused by viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A growing body of literature has demonstrated the importance of extracellular matrix (ECM) changes such as the accumulation of hyaluronan (HA) and versican in the subepithelial space in promoting airway inflammation; however, whether these factors contribute to airway inflammation during RSV infection remains unknown. To test the hypothesis that RSV infection promotes inflammation via altered HA and versican production, we studied an ex vivo human bronchial epithelial cell (BEC)/human lung fibroblast (HLF) co-culture model. RSV infection of BEC/HLF co-cultures led to decreased hyaluronidase expression by HLFs, increased accumulation of HA, and enhanced adhesion of U937 cells as would be expected with increased HA. HLF production of versican was not altered following RSV infection; however, BEC production of versican was significantly downregulated following RSV infection. In vivo studies with epithelial-specific versican-deficient mice [SPC-Cre(+) Vcan-/-] demonstrated that RSV infection led to increased HA accumulation compared to control mice which also coincided with decreased hyaluronidase expression in the lung. SPC-Cre(+) Vcan-/- mice demonstrated enhanced recruitment of monocytes and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and increas ed neutrophils in the lung compared to SPC-Cre(-) RSV-infected littermates. Taken together, these data demonstrate that altered ECM accumulation of HA occurs following RSV infection and may contribute to airway inflammation. Additionally, loss of epithelial expression of versican promotes airway inflammation during RSV infection further demonstrating that versican's role in inflammatory regulation is complex and dependent on the microenvironment.
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