Determining the Replication Kinetics and Cellular Tropism of Influenza D Virus on Primary Well-Differentiated Human Airway Epithelial Cells

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 11; no. 4; p. 377
• Main Authors: Holwerda, Melle, Kelly, Jenna, Laloli, Laura, Stürmer, Isabel, Portmann, Jasmine, Stalder, Hanspeter, Dijkman, Ronald
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 24.04.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Animal welfare; Antibodies; Body Temperature; Bronchi - cytology; Bronchi - virology; Cattle; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Epidemiology; Epithelial cells; Epithelial Cells - virology; Epithelium; Genetic crosses; human respiratory epithelium; Humans; Infections; Influenza; Influenza C; influenza D virus; Inoculation; Kinases; Kinetics; Livestock; Occupational exposure; Replication; Respiratory Mucosa - cytology; Respiratory tract; RNA, Viral - genetics; Thogotovirus - genetics; Thogotovirus - physiology; Tropism; Viral Tropism; Virus Replication; Viruses; Zoonoses; zoonosis; United States > US; Switzerland; Oklahoma; Germany; influenza D virus; zoonosis; human respiratory epithelium
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v11040377

Influenza viruses are notorious pathogens that frequently cross the species barrier with often severe consequences for both animal and human health. In 2011, a novel member of the family, Influenza D virus (IDV), was identified in the respiratory tract of swine. Epidemiological surveys revealed that IDV is distributed worldwide among livestock and that IDV-directed antibodies are detected in humans with occupational exposure to livestock. To identify the transmission capability of IDV to humans, we determined the viral replication kinetics and cell tropism using an in vitro respiratory epithelium model of humans. The inoculation of IDV revealed efficient replication kinetics and apical progeny virus release at different body temperatures. Intriguingly, the replication characteristics of IDV revealed higher replication kinetics compared to Influenza C virus, despite sharing the cell tropism preference for ciliated cells. Collectively, these results might indicate why IDV-directed antibodies are detected among humans with occupational exposure to livestock.