Influence of early-life viral infection on severity of murine chronic asthma and acute exacerbations

该项目研究了某些儿童呼吸道病毒感染与日后哮喘进展之间的关系。这项实验工作将使用轻度慢性哮喘和疾病急性加重的小鼠模型--这些独特的模型已经在首席研究人员的实验室中开发出来。它将使用最合适的小鼠模型来感染相关的病毒组。我们期望获得关于呼吸道炎症和气道高反应性的机制的新信息，这是慢性哮喘和急性加重的特征。这可能有助于确定可能成为新疗法靶点的候选信号分子和途径。这一发现也可能为开发改变儿童呼吸道病毒感染后免疫反应的方法提供基础。

This project examines the relationship between certain childhood infections with respiratory viruses and the progression of asthma later in life. The experimental work will use mouse models of mild chronic asthma and of an acute exacerbation of the illness -- these unique models have been developed in the laboratories of the chief investigators. It will employ the most appropriate mouse models of infection by the relevant group of viruses. We expect to obtain new information about mechanisms of airway inflammation and airway hyper-reactivity, which are characteristic features of chronic asthma and of acute exacerbations. This could help to identify candidate signalling molecules and pathways that could be targeted by new treatments. The findings might also provide a basis for development of ways to modify the immune response after respiratory viral infection in childhood.