Airway epithelium and respiratory syncytial virus - effect of developmental age on responses to infection

Despite advances in vaccine development and monoclonal antibody prophylaxis, understanding the immune determinants underlying severe RSV disease remains incomplete. The disease is primarily driven by a dysregulated host immune response, yet the immune mechanisms involved, particularly in early-life, are still poorly understood.<br><br>In this thesis, we focused on the role of innate immune responses in RSV infection, particularly during early life.

Using well-differentiated paediatric nasal epithelial cell (WD-PNEC) cultures from newborns and one-year-olds, we demonstrated that innate immune responses to RSV become more robust with age, with significant differences in cytokine secretion and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression between newborns and the same children at one-year-old. This work highlights the crucial role of the airway epithelium in the early immune response to RSV, which is a key factor in determining disease severity.