Respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses during the first 3 months of life promote a local TH2-like response.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections during infancy are considered to be a risk factor for developing asthma and possibly allergic sensitization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the cytokines, chemokines, and eosinophil cationic protein in the nasopharyngeal secretions of infants < or = 7 months of age with RSV infections or other respiratory viral infections and healthy infants as controls. Groups were also analyzed according to age, < or = 3 months and >3 months, and the levels were compared within and between groups. RESULTS: Thirty-nine infants with RSV, 9 with influenza or parainfluenza virus infections and 50 controls with no history of infections, were enrolled in the study. The RSV-infected infants had significantly higher levels of IL-4; macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta, a chemoattractant for T cells; and eosinophil cationic protein in nasopharyngeal secretions compared with the control group. The levels of the TH2 cytokine IL-4 were significantly higher in RSV-infected infants < or = months of age compared with RSV-infected infants >3 months of age. In infants < or = 3 months of age, infections with influenza or parainfluenza virus caused TH2-like responses similar to those produced by RSV. CONCLUSION: Infections with RSV as well as with influenza and parainfluenza virus during early infancy preferentially promote a TH2-like response in the nose with local production of IL-4, IL-5, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta and infiltration and activation of eosinophils.

HPV subtypes and immunological parameters of cervical cancer in Iceland during two time periods, 1958-1960 and 1995-1996.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer is a disease caused in part by an infection with an oncogenic subtype of human papillomavirus (HPV). In this study we analysed all cervical cancer samples diagnosed in Iceland during two periods, 1958-1960 and 1995-1996, and asked whether significant changes in viral or immunological parameters had occurred over a period that spanned both significant changes in sexual attitude and the implementation of organized screening for cervical cancer. METHODS: Samples from 47 patients (46 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC)) in the first period and 30 patients (20 SCC, 4 ASC, and 6 adenocarcinomas (AC)) in the later period were analysed for viral subtype and expression of Fas, FasL, MHC class I, p53 and apoptosis. RESULTS: AC and ASC are proportionately much more common today than 40 years ago (30% vs 2%). The distribution of HPV in cervical cancer is similar in both periods, with HPV16 found in 75% and HPV18 in 13% of cases. Other HPV types found were 31,33,45, and 59. No significant differences were found in the immunological profiles of tumors from the two periods except that a higher fraction of SCC in the later period stained positive for FasL. When SCC are compared with AC/ASC, the latter have less expression of MHC class I, less expression of Fas, and stronger FasL expression. CONCLUSIONS: AC/ASC tumors show some immunological features that suggest that they are more resistant to immune attack than SCC.