Human rhinovirus infection of human bronchial epithelial cells results in migration of human bronchial fibroblast cells

Background Recent studies have demonstrated that structural changes in the airways characteristic of asthma, collectively referred to as airway remodeling, occur in young children even prior to the diagnosis of asthma. Young children who experience human rhinovirus (HRV)-associated wheezing illness within the first three years of life are at increased risk for the subsequent development of asthma. This association, together with evidence that HRVinfected epithelial cells release a number of growth factors and cytokines, has led to the hypothesis that HRV infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling. Thickening of the lamina reticularis found below the true basement membrane in the human airway is a characteristic feature of airway remodeling in asthma. The human bronchial fibroblast (HBF) is believed to contribute to this thickening by moving closer to the laminar reticularis and producing matrix proteins. We hypothesized that HRV infection of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells induces production of chemoattractants that can induce HBF migration.