06 Jan Your Mother Was Right! Cold Viruses Thrive At Cooler Temperatures

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Akiko Iwasaki PhD
Departments of Immunobiology and
Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT 06520

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Iwasaki: Since the 1960’s, scientists have known that the rhinovirus, the common cold virus, replicates preferably at the cooler temperature found in the nose (33C) but not at the core body temperature found in the lungs (37C). However, the underlying mechanisms were not known. We focused on the host immune response as a possible factor that enables rhinovirus to replicate in the cooler temperature. Indeed, we found that by incubating airway cells isolated from mice at the cooler temperature, immune response to the virus was impaired. By using airway cells from knockout mice from which key innate sensor pathway or interferon receptor is deleted, we found that the virus now replicates even at the core body temperature of 37C. These experiments showed us that the rhinovirus replication is blocked at the higher temperature because of a more efficient immune defense at the core body temperature.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Iwasaki: Possible implications of our study include that lower temperature reduces host immune defense against viruses. Keeping the nasal cavity temperature warmer (by wearing a scarf) will prevent the virus from replicating.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Iwasaki: The link between innate immune response and rhinovirus replication at the different temperatures needs to be examined in human cells and systems.

Rhinovirus is also an important trigger of asthma attacks in children with asthma conditions. Rhinovirus can be found in the lung of asthma patients. Whether there is a link between impaired immune response to rhinovirus and the pathogenesis of asthma is an important question to be addressed in the future.

Citation:

Ellen F. Foxman, James A. Storer, Megan E. Fitzgerald, Bethany R. Wasik, Lin Hou, Hongyu Zhao, Paul E. Turner, Anna Marie Pyle, and Akiko Iwasaki. Temperature-dependent innate defense against the common cold virus limits viral replication at warm temperature in mouse airway cells. PNAS, January 5, 2015 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1411030112

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Last Updated on January 6, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD