Bat lung epithelial cells show greater host species-specific innate resistance than MDCK cells to human and avian influenza viruses

Slater, Tessa; Eckerle, Isabella; Chang, Kin-Chow

Abstract

Background

With the recent discovery of novel H17N10 and H18N11 influenza viral RNA in bats and report on high frequency of avian H9 seroconversion in a species of free ranging bats, an important issue to address is the extent bats are susceptible to conventional avian and human influenza A viruses.
Method

To this end, three bat species (Eidolon helvum, Carollia perspicillata and Tadarida brasiliensis) of lung epithelial cells were separately infected with two avian and two human influenza viruses to determine their relative host innate immune resistance to infection.
Results

All three species of bat cells were more resistant than positive control Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells to all four influenza viruses. TB1-Lu cells lacked sialic acid α2,6-Gal receptors and were most resistant among the three bat species. Interestingly, avian viruses were relatively more replication permissive in all three bat species of cells than with the use of human viruses which suggest that bats could potentially play a role in the ecology of avian influenza viruses. Chemical inhibition of the JAK-STAT pathway in bat cells had no effect on virus production suggesting that type I interferon signalling is not a major factor in resisting influenza virus infection.
Conclusion

Although all three species of bat cells are relatively more resistant to influenza virus infection than control MDCK cells, they are more permissive to avian than human viruses which suggest that bats could have a contributory role in the ecology of avian influenza viruses.

Citation

Slater, T., Eckerle, I., & Chang, K. (2018). Bat lung epithelial cells show greater host species-specific innate resistance than MDCK cells to human and avian influenza viruses. Virology Journal, 15, Article 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-018-0979-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 3, 2018
• Publication Date: Apr 10, 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 11, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 11, 2018
• Journal: Virology Journal
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-422X
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Article Number: 68
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-018-0979-6
• Keywords: influenza, bats, epithelial cells, host resistance, innate immunity, inflammation
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/924608
• Publisher URL: https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-018-0979-6