Influenza A virus inhibits influenza virus replication by inducing IL‐37

• Published in: Journal of clinical laboratory analysis Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. e22638 - n/a
• Main Authors: Zhou, Feng, Zhu, Cheng‐Liang, Niu, Zhi‐Li, Xu, Feng‐Xia, Song, Hui, Liu, Xing‐Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2019; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: A549 Cells; Adolescent; Adult; Case-Control Studies; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Gene expression; Hemagglutination; Host-Pathogen Interactions - immunology; Humans; Immune response; Infections; Influenza; Influenza A; influenza A virus; Influenza A virus - immunology; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - virology; interleukin 37; Interleukin-1 - blood; Interleukin-1 - immunology; Leukocytes (mononuclear); Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Male; mRNA; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Replication; RNA, Viral - blood; Serum levels; Virus Replication - immunology; Young Adult; replication; interleukin 37; influenza A virus
• ISSN: 0887-8013; 1098-2825; 1098-2825
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.22638

Backgrounds The influenza virus is one of the major pathogens that seriously affect human health. It can cause a strong immune response and trigger a series of complications. Interleukin 37 (IL‐37) is a newly discovered cytokine that plays an important regulatory role in infection and immunity. To date, there have been few studies on the correlation between influenza virus infection and IL‐37. Methods Serum levels of IL‐37 in 115 patients with influenza A virus (IAV) infection and 102 healthy subjects were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) was used to detect differences in IL‐37 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) between IAV patients and healthy subjects. IL‐37 expression was measured in A549 cells and PBMCs infected with IAV H3N2 using ELISA and RT‐qPCR. After the H3N2‐infected A549 cells were treated with human IL‐37, the concentration of viral RNA was determined using RT‐qPCR, and the titer of influenza virus was determined by a hemagglutination test. Results The IL‐37 levels in the sera and PBMCs of patients infected with IAV were higher than those of healthy subjects. The expression of IL‐37 mRNA and protein in IAV‐infected A549 cells and PBMCs was upregulated, and IL‐37 protein was able to inhibit the replication of IAV RNA. Conclusion IAV‐induced IL‐37 expression inhibits IAV replication.