Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and asthma : a study on the impact of RSV infection on allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model

For many years animal studies are performed to investigate the immunity induced by an RSV infection and the immune regulatory role of RSV infections on the development and exacerbation of respiratory allergies. Since different strategies of allergen sensitisation and challenge, moments of virus infection during allergen-sensitisation and -challenge, and timing of analysis after challenge are chosen, the precise role of RSV infection in allergic inflammation is still not clear. The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether RSV infection modulates respiratory allergy. In addition, the immune mechanisms which determine the influence of RSV infection on respiratory allergy are investigated. The research questions addressed in this thesis are: • What is the influence of RSV infection on the parameters of allergic sensitisation and challenge? (chapter 2). • What role do antiviral Thl cytokines IFN-y and IL-12 play in the RSV-enhanced respiratory allergy? (chapter 3). 8 W'hat is the significance of timing of infection on respiratory allergy? (chapter 4). • Does RSV-induced immunity influences the effect of a secondary RSV infection on respiratory allergy? (chapter 4). • Is the RSV-enhanced respiratory allergy a specific feature of RSV, or do other respiratory viruses have the same capacity? (chapter 5). e Is the RSV-specific cellular immune response influenced by allergic inflammation? \lVhat is the mechanism of immune interaction between viral infection and allergic inflammation? (chapter 6) The goal of these studies is to unravel the immune mechanism of RSV-enhanced respiratory allergy in mice. The knowledge obtained in these studies will be valuable for the development of clinical intervention strategies for prevention of RSV-related allergic exacerbations in children.

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