Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus shows poor replication but significant induction of antiviral responses in human monocyte-derived macrophages and …

J Tynell, V Westenius, E Rönkkö… - Journal of General …, 2016 - microbiologyresearch.org
J Tynell, V Westenius, E Rönkkö, VJ Munster, K Melen, P Österlund, I Julkunen
Journal of General Virology, 2016microbiologyresearch.org
In this study we assessed the ability of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-
CoV) to replicate and induce innate immunity in human monocyte-derived macrophages
and dendritic cells (MDDCs), and compared it with severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Assessments of viral protein and RNA levels in infected cells
showed that both viruses were impaired in their ability to replicate in these cells. Some
induction of IFN-λ1, CXCL10 and MxA mRNAs in both macrophages and MDDCs was seen …
In this study we assessed the ability of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) to replicate and induce innate immunity in human monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells (MDDCs), and compared it with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Assessments of viral protein and RNA levels in infected cells showed that both viruses were impaired in their ability to replicate in these cells. Some induction of IFN-λ1, CXCL10 and MxA mRNAs in both macrophages and MDDCs was seen in response to MERS-CoV infection, but almost no such induction was observed in response to SARS-CoV infection. ELISA and Western blot assays showed clear production of CXCL10 and MxA in MERS-CoV-infected macrophages and MDDCs. Our data suggest that SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV replicate poorly in human macrophages and MDDCs, but MERS-CoV is nonetheless capable of inducing a readily detectable host innate immune response. Our results highlight a clear difference between the viruses in activating host innate immune responses in macrophages and MDDCs, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of infection.
Microbiology Research