Respiratory dysfunction and proinflammatory chemokines in the pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) model of viral bronchiolitis

We explore relationships linking clinical symptoms, respiratory dysfunction, and local production of proinflammatory chemokines in the pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) model of viral bronchiolitis. With a reduced inoculum of this natural rodent pathogen, we observe virus clearance by day 9, while clinical symptoms and respiratory dysfunction persist through days 14 and 17 postinoculation, respectively. Via microarray and ELISA, we identify expression profiles of proinflammatory mediators MIP-1alpha, MCP-1, and MIP-2 that correlate with persistent respiratory dysfunction. MIP-1alpha is localized in bronchial epithelium, which is also the major site of PVM replication. Interferon-gamma was detected in lung tissue, but at levels that do not correlate with respiratory dysfunction. Taken together, we present a modification of our pneumovirus infection model that results in improved survival and data that stand in support of a connection between local production of specific mediators and persistent respiratory dysfunction in the setting of acute viral bronchiolitis.