Th2型γδ T细胞参与急性RSV感染所诱发的气道炎症反应

γδ T细胞是机体重要的固有免疫细胞,参与肺组织炎性病变及哮喘的发生发展。但迄今为止,γδT细胞在呼吸道合胞病毒感染所诱发的气道炎症反应中的作用尚不十分清楚。研究通过建立RSV急性感染的实验动物模型,采用HE染色、Real-timeRT-PCR、流式细胞术等实验方法,旨在揭示γδT细胞在感染性气道炎症发生中的作用及其相关作用机制。结果显示,RSV感染导致BALA/c鼠肺炎性细胞浸润,其中嗜酸性粒细胞增加明显;同时肺组织局部Th2型细胞因子IL-4、IL-13 mRNA表达升高;RSV感染后,肺组织γδT细胞总数,特别是活化的CD69+γδT细胞数量显著增加,其中分泌Th2型细胞因子IL-4和IL-13的γδT细胞数量增加明显,而分泌Th1型细胞因子IFN-γ的γδT细胞数量显著减少,证实γδT细胞通过分泌Th2型细胞因子介导RSV感染诱发的气道炎症反应。     

天然辅助细胞在初次和再次RSV感染所诱发气道炎症反应中的作用

天然辅助细胞(natural helper cell,NHC)是近期发现的二型固有淋巴细胞的一种,因其在病毒感染后分泌大量Th2型细胞因子,故在病毒感染所诱发的气道炎症反应中发挥重要作用。呼吸道合胞病毒(Respiratory Syncytial Virus,RSV)是最常见的呼吸道病毒,也是一个反复感染的过程。NHC在RSV感染过程发挥的作用尤其是在再次感染中具体作用尚不清楚,故本研究建立初次及再次感染模型,通过计数肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中炎性细胞数量,HE染色观察肺病理炎症反应,Real-time RT-PCR法检测肺组织及NHC内Th1/Th2型细胞因子IFN-γ、IL-5、IL-13mRNA的表达,膜表面染色检测肺组织内CD45+Lin-ST2+标记的NHC数量,细胞膜内染色检测分泌Th1/Th2型细胞因子IFN-γ、IL-5、IL-13的NHC数量,探讨NHC在初次及再次RSV感染所诱发导致气道炎症反应中的作用。结果显示与再次RSV感染相比,初次RSV感染引起的肺炎症反应明显加重,且肺组织内Th2型细胞因子IL-5、IL-13mRNA表达水平亦明显增多,提示与再次RSV感染相比,初次RSV感染可能通过诱导机体产生更多的Th2型细胞因子,进而导致较重的气道炎症。流式细胞分析术发现初次RSV感染鼠肺组织内NHC总数及IL-5+NHC,IL-13+NHC数量明显多于再次RSV感染组,提示与再次RSV感染相比,初次RSV感染诱导更多的Th2型NHC进入肺组织,参与气道炎症。研究证实NHC通过分泌Th2型细胞因子,尤其是IL-5和IL-13,介导RSV感染所诱发的气道炎症反应。     

抗生素诱导的呼吸道菌群缺失对小鼠RSV感染的影响

目的探究抗生素雾化暴露引起的呼吸道菌群缺失对小鼠呼吸道合胞病毒(RSV)感染的影响,为临床合理使用抗生素提供指导意见。方法32只BALB/c小鼠分为2组:雾化ddH₂O对照组和雾化ABX组合抗生素组,处理6 d后,进行细菌16S rRNA基因PCR检测,构建呼吸道菌群缺失小鼠模型。上述2组组内再随机分为2小组,即PBS对照组(ddH₂O+PBS,ABX+PBS)和RSV感染组(ddH₂O+RSV,ABX+RSV),饲养至第14天。检测和分析各组小鼠支气管肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中的炎症细胞和相关细胞因子(TNF-α、IL-8、IL-10及MCP-1)的数量和水平,观察肺组织病理学状况及检测病毒载量。结果BALF中细菌DNA提取和16S rRNA基因PCR检测显示,雾化ABX组合抗生素处理能够有效地剔除呼吸道菌群。BALF中炎症细胞和相关细胞因子检测显示,ABX+RSV组炎症细胞总数明显增多(P<0.05),分类以巨噬细胞和淋巴细胞为主;且细胞因子TNF-α、IL-8、MCP-1及IL-10水平显著升高(均P<0.05)。肺部HE染色显示,感染RSV后ddH₂O+RSV组和ABX+RSV组小鼠肺部损伤明显加重(均P≤0.01),与ddH₂O+RSV组相比较,ABX+RSV组的病毒载量明显升高(t=2.7160,P=0.0217)。结论雾化ABX组合抗生素不仅能够有效地剔除呼吸道菌群,而且明显增加了小鼠感染RSV的风险,导致呼吸道炎症加重,以及病毒载量升高。     

白细胞介素-33抗体治疗呼吸道合胞病毒诱导小鼠哮喘的效果观察

为探讨白细胞介素(interleukin,IL)-33在呼吸道合胞病毒(respiratory syncytial virus,RSV)感染导致哮喘急性加重过程中的作用,选取3周龄雌性BALB/c小鼠28只,随机分为5组,分别为正常对照组、单纯RSV感染组、哮喘组、RSV感染哮喘并对照抗体组、RSV感染哮喘并IL-33...     

呼吸道合胞病毒在不同龄期BALB/c小鼠上的感染差异

呼吸道合胞病毒(Respiratory syncytial virus,RSV)是全世界范围内引起下呼吸道感染的主要病原体,主要高危人群为六个月以下新生儿及65岁以上人群。目前BALB/c小鼠是RSV感染的有效动物模型,但不同周龄BALB/c小鼠感染RSV后的差异性尚未有报道。本研究分别选择10、30、60周龄BALB/c小鼠,在鼻腔接种106及107PFU RSV后,对不同龄期小鼠临床一般症状、体重、鼻/肺部病毒滴度及肺组织炎症病理变化进行检测及比较。结果显示感染106PFU RSV后小鼠未出现明显的体重下降,而107PFU RSV感染后能有效引发小鼠在感染后6-11天出现明显的体重下降。检测结果显示,在107PFU感染的小鼠的鼻、肺组织能够检测到明显的病毒复制,肺部免疫组化显示病毒主要定位于肺泡周围,炎症观察结果显示出明显的肺部炎症细胞浸润及组织病理损伤。同时本研究还观察到随着小鼠周龄的增大,感染后体重下降越明显,并能检测到更为明显的肺部病毒及验证损伤。这些结果显示出本研究成功建立了不同周龄BALB/c小鼠RSV感染差异模型,为不同年龄人群RSV感染免疫机制的深入探讨及RSV相关抗体和疫苗药物的选择、评估提供依据。     

夏氏疟原虫感染过程中调节性B细胞的表达变化

调节性B细胞(regulatory B cells,Bregs)是近年来发现的通过分泌IL-10发挥免疫调节作用的B细胞,其在疟疾免疫应答中的作用尚不清楚。利用血液阶段夏氏疟原虫(Plasmodium chabaudi AS,P.c AS)感染的BALB/c小鼠,观察了感染过程中Bregs数量变化及其表面分子表达情况。结果显示,BALB/c小鼠感染P.c AS后红细胞感染率逐渐升高,于感染后第9天达到30%,多数小鼠死亡。脾组织细胞因子IL-10 mRNA水平在感染后显著升高,感染后第5天达到高峰,感染后第8天仍为正常小鼠的10倍左右。CD4+细胞中IL-10+细胞百分比和绝对数量在感染后第5天达到峰值,于感染后第8天回落至正常水平;而CD19+细胞中IL-10+细胞(Bregs)百分比在感染后持续上升,在感染后第8天达到CD19+细胞的5%左右;感染后第5天,脾中CD4+IL-10+细胞绝对数量高于CD19+IL-10+细胞,至感染后第8天,CD19+IL-10+细胞绝对数量显著高于CD4+IL-10+细胞(P﹤0.01),约90%Bregs为CD5-细胞。结果提示,P.c AS感染过程中Bregs显著活化,是感染1周后IL-10的主要产生细胞。     

Tim-1分子在约氏疟原虫感染模型中的表达分析

Tim-1分子表达在T细胞和调节性B细胞表面,具有促进Th2应答的作用。为探讨Tim-1分子在抗疟疾免疫应答中的作用,利用致死型约氏疟原虫(Plasmodium yoelii)感染鼠疟模型研究了Tim-1分子表达与小鼠感染结局和免疫应答模式的关系。结果显示,BALB/c小鼠对P.yoelii易感,在感染后6～7 d全部死亡,感染后第3、5天脾内细胞因子IFN-γmRNA水平明显低于对P.yoelii抵抗的DBA2小鼠,而脾IL-10 mRNA水平显著高于DBA2小鼠。BALB/c小鼠脾内Tim-1+T、B细胞百分比在感染后第3、5天显著升高,而DBA2小鼠感染前后脾内Tim-1+T、B细胞百分比没有显著变化。结果提示,Tim-1分子参与抗P.yoelii免疫应答的调节,可能与易感鼠产生高水平Th2型细胞因子有关。     

小鼠沙眼衣原体肺感染过程中Treg细胞与Th17反应关系

[目的]对沙眼衣原体在BALB/c小鼠肺部感染过程中CD4+ CD25+Foxp3+调节性T细胞(regulatory T cells,Treg)与Th17反应关系进行初步探讨.[方法]取6-8周龄的BALB/c小鼠,鼻腔吸入25 μL含5×103 IFU的沙眼衣原体鼠肺炎菌株(Chlamydia muridarum,Cm),建立沙眼衣原体小鼠肺感染模型.监测感染后不同时期小鼠体重变化;检测肺组织衣原体包涵体形成单位( IFU)及肺组织病理改变;利用流式细胞术检测Cm感染后小鼠体内Treg细胞百分率;ELISA检测肺组织上清液IL-6、TGF-β、IL-17、IL-2细胞因子的的表达;qRT-PCR检测KC( keratinocyte derived chemokine) mRNA和MIP-2( macrophage inflammatory protein-2)mRNA的表达差异.[结果]用5xl03 IFU Cm经鼻腔吸人感染后小鼠发生沙眼衣原体肺炎,表现为体重下降、肺组织大量炎症细胞浸润并可检测到衣原体繁殖.Cm感染后第3天,小鼠体内Treg细胞占CD4 +T细胞的百分比明显降,随后开始恢复,第7天恢复原来水平,一直持续到衣原体清除.TGF-β、IL-2的表达与Treg细胞动态变化一致.与Th17相关细胞因子IL-6、IL-17和Th17相关趋化因子KC、MIP-2的表达于第3天开始升高,至第7天达到最高水平,随后逐渐减少.[结论]在衣原体感染BALB/c小鼠过程中,Treg可能通过提供TGF-β并在IL-6帮助下促进Th17应答产生.     

Listr1遗传位点影响小鼠对约氏疟原虫易感性的研究

探讨Listr1遗传位点影响小鼠对疟原虫易感性的可能性及其初步作用机制。致死型约氏疟原虫(Plasmodiumyoelii17XL,P.y17XL)感染C.B6By-Listr1小鼠(BALB/c小鼠基因背景下引入C57BL/6小鼠Lis-tr1遗传位点的同类系小鼠)和BALB/c小鼠,分析二者生存率和感染率的差异;HE染色分析P.y17XL感染后第5天C.B6By-Listr1小鼠和BALB/c小鼠肝脏组织损伤情况;定量PCR法检测P.y17XL感染后小鼠肝脏组织第1、2、5天IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α、IFN-γ的表达含量。结果显示,P.y17XL感染后4~8dC.B6By-Listr1小鼠虫血症水平显著高于BALB/c小鼠(P<0.05)。C.B6By-Listr1小鼠于感染后7~9d全部死亡;而半数BALB/c小鼠于感染后8~9d死亡,其余BALB/c小鼠至感染后第13天仍存活,两种小鼠生存率差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。C.B6By-Listr1小鼠P.y17XL感染后第5天肝组织HE染色可见到明显的疟色素沉积;而BALB/c小鼠全片基本未见到疟色素的沉积。P.y17XL感染后第2天BALB/c小鼠肝组织IL-6(P<0.05)、TNF-α(P<0.05)mRNA水平显著高于C.B6By-Listr1小鼠。结果表明Listr1遗传位点可以影响小鼠对疟原虫的易感性,与肝脏固有免疫相关。     

异丙肾上腺素对小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌及吞噬功能影响的研究

目的:研究异丙肾上腺素对脂多糖诱导BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α,IL-10及吞噬功能的影响.方法:分别以10μM、100μM和300μM异丙肾上腺素加入BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞培养液,2h后用脂多糖(LPS,10μg/mL)刺激,孵育6h后以ELISA法测定上清中TNF-α水平,24h后测定上清中IL-10的含量,并观察腹膜巨噬细胞时中性红吞噬能力的变化.结果:异丙肾上腺素使BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α降低,IL-10分泌增加,增加巨噬细胞对中性红的吞噬能力.结论:异丙肾上腺素能调节巨噬细胞分泌功能及吞噬功能,使炎性因子分泌减少,抑炎因子分泌增多,增强巨噬细胞吞噬中性红的能力.     

Delayed Sequelae of Neonatal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Are Dependent on Cells of the Innate Immune System

Infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in neonatal mice leads to exacerbated disease if mice are reinfected with the same virus as adults. Both T cells and the host major histocompatibility complex genotype contribute to this phenomenon, but the part played by innate immunity has not been defined. Since macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells play key roles in regulating inflammation during RSV infection of adult mice, we studied the role of these cells in exacerbated inflammation following neonatal RSV sensitization/adult reinfection. Compared to mice undergoing primary infection as adults, neonatally sensitized mice showed enhanced airway fluid levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), alpha interferon (IFN-α), CXCL1 (keratinocyte chemoattractant/KC), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) at 12 to 24 h after reinfection and IL-4, IL-5, IFN-γ, and CCL11 (eotaxin) at day 4 after reinfection. Weight loss during reinfection was accompanied by an initial influx of NK cells and granulocytes into the airways and lungs, followed by T cells. NK cell depletion during reinfection attenuated weight loss but did not alter T cell responses. Depletion of alveolar macrophages with inhaled clodronate liposomes reduced both NK and T cell numbers and attenuated weight loss. These findings indicate a hitherto unappreciated role for the innate immune response in governing the pathogenic recall responses to RSV infection.     

Cytokine (tumor necrosis factor, IL-6, and IL-8) production by respiratory syncytial virus-infected human alveolar macrophages.

Human alveolar macrophages (AM) are susceptible to infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but the infection is abortive after the initial cycles of virus replication. We have investigated if RSV infection of AM results in the production of cytokines TNF, IL-6, and IL-8, all of which may modulate inflammatory and immune responses to the virus, as well as may directly protect respiratory epithelial cells against spread of infection. Within 1 h after interaction with RSV, increased mRNA levels were found for all three cytokines. Peak expression of the mRNAs occurred at 3 to 6 h. The virus most effectively induced TNF mRNA expression greater than IL-6 mRNA greater than IL-8 mRNA, as compared to cytokine mRNA expression induced by bacterial endotoxin. Inactivated virus was almost as effective as live virus in inducing and maintaining increased IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA over 16 h, whereas live infectious RSV was necessary for maintaining TNF mRNA expression over the same time. Protein concentrations of the different cytokines in the supernatants of infected AM reflected the increased levels of mRNA in the cells. Despite the high levels of cytokines with possible antiviral activity (TNF and IL-6) in the AM supernatants, neither supernatants nor rTNF when added to bronchial epithelial cells protected them from infection with RSV. However, TNF, IL-1, and RSV, but not IL-6, induced IL-8 and IL-6 mRNA expression by the bronchial epithelial cells suggesting that cytokines produced by RSV-infected AM may be more important in modulating the inflammatory response in infection than directly interfering with virus infection/replication of airway epithelium.     

Local IL-17A Potentiates Early Neutrophil Recruitment to the Respiratory Tract during Severe RSV Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis triggers a strong innate immune response characterized by excessive neutrophil infiltration which contributes to RSV induced pathology. The cytokine IL-17A enhances neutrophil infiltration into virus infected lungs. IL-17A is however best known as an effector of adaptive immune responses. The role of IL-17A in early immune modulation in RSV infection is unknown. We aimed to elucidate whether local IL-17A facilitates the innate neutrophil infiltration into RSV infected lungs prior to adaptive immunity. To this end, we studied IL-17A production in newborns that were hospitalized for severe RSV bronchiolitis. In tracheal aspirates we measured IL-17A concentration and neutrophil counts. We utilized cultured human epithelial cells to test if IL-17A regulates RSV infection-induced IL-8 release as mediator of neutrophil recruitment. In mice we investigated the cell types that are responsible for early innate IL-17A production during RSV infection. Using IL-17A neutralizing antibodies we tested if IL-17A is responsible for innate neutrophil infiltration in mice. Our data show that increased IL-17A production in newborn RSV patient lungs correlates with subsequent neutrophil counts recruited to the lungs. IL-17A potentiates RSV-induced production of the neutrophil-attracting chemokine IL-8 by airway epithelial cells in vitro. Various lung-resident lymphocytes produced IL-17A during early RSV infection in Balb/c mice, of which a local population of CD4 T cells stood out as the predominant RSV-induced cell type. By removing IL-17A during early RSV infection in mice we showed that IL-17A is responsible for enhanced innate neutrophil infiltration in vivo. Using patient material, in vitro studies, and an animal model of RSV infection, we thus show that early local IL-17A production in the airways during RSV bronchiolitis facilitates neutrophil recruitment with pathologic consequences to infant lungs.     

Bordetella pertussis infection exacerbates influenza virus infection through pertussis toxin-mediated suppression of innate immunity

Pertussis (whooping cough) is frequently complicated by concomitant infections with respiratory viruses. Here we report the effect of Bordetella pertussis infection on subsequent influenza virus (PR8) infection in mouse models and the role of pertussis toxin (PT) in this effect. BALB/c mice infected with a wild-type strain of B. pertussis (WT) and subsequently (up to 14 days later) infected with PR8 had significantly increased pulmonary viral titers, lung pathology and mortality compared to mice similarly infected with a PT-deficient mutant strain (ΔPT) and PR8. Substitution of WT infection by intranasal treatment with purified active PT was sufficient to replicate the exacerbating effects on PR8 infection in BALB/c and C57/BL6 mice, but the effects of PT were lost when toxin was administered 24 h after virus inoculation. PT had no effect on virus titers in primary cultures of murine tracheal epithelial cells (mTECs) in vitro, suggesting the toxin targets an early immune response to increase viral titers in the mouse model. However, type I interferon responses were not affected by PT. Whole genome microarray analysis of gene expression in lung tissue from PT-treated and control PR8-infected mice at 12 and 36 h post-virus inoculation revealed that PT treatment suppressed numerous genes associated with communication between innate and adaptive immune responses. In mice depleted of alveolar macrophages, increase of pulmonary viral titers by PT treatment was lost. PT also suppressed levels of IL-1β, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6, KC, MCP-1 and TNF-α in the airways after PR8 infection. Furthermore PT treatment inhibited early recruitment of neutrophils and NK cells to the airways. Together these findings demonstrate that infection with B. pertussis through PT activity predisposes the host to exacerbated influenza infection by countering protective innate immune responses that control virus titers.     

Differences in interleukin-12 and -15 production by dendritic cells at the early stage of Listeria monocytogenes infection between BALB/c and C57 BL/6 mice

The mechanisms responsible for the resistance of C57BL/6 mice and for the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to infection with Listeria monocytogenes were studied by comparing early IL-12 and IL-15 production by dendritic cells (DC) after infection with L. monocytogenes. Splenic DC expressing CD11b(low) and CD11c(+) obtained from C57BL/6 mice at 3 and 6 h after L. monocytogenes infection expressed higher levels of IL-12 p40 mRNA and IL-12 p40 protein than did those from BALB/c mice. Concurrently, a larger amount of IFN-gamma was produced by the splenic T cells from C57BL/6 mice in response to immobilized anti-TCRalphabeta mAb than by those from BALB/c mice, while the splenic T cells from BALB/c mice produced a higher level of IL-4 upon TCR alphabeta stimulation than did those of C57BL/6 mice. IL-15 mRNA and intracellular IL-15 protein were detected more abundantly in the DC from C57BL/6 mice than in those from BALB/c mice on day 3 after infection. CD3(+) IL2Rbeta (+) cells in the spleen were increased in C57BL/6 mice but not in BALB/c mice at the early stage after infection. Furthermore, IL-12Rbeta2 gene expression was up-regulated in T cells from C57BL/6 mice but not in those from BALB/c mice at the early stage after listerial infection. These results suggest that the difference in early production of IL-12 and IL-15 by DC may at least partly underlie the difference in susceptibility to L. monocytogenes between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.     

Enhanced macrophage activity in granulomatous lesions of immune mice challenged with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

In this study, we evaluated the cellular influx and cytokine environment in the lungs of mice made immune by prior vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin compared with control mice after infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis to characterize composition of protective lesions in the lungs. Immune mice controlled the growth of the M. tuberculosis challenge more efficiently than control mice. In immune animals, granulomatous lesions were smaller and had a more lymphocytic core, less foamy cells, less parenchymal inflammation, and slower progression of lung pathology than in lungs of control mice. During the chronic stage of the infection, the bacterial load in the lungs of immune mice remained at a level 10 times lower than control mice, and this was associated with reduced numbers of CD4P(+P) and CD8P(+P) T cells, and the lower expression of protective (IL-12, IFN-gamma), inflammatory (TNF-alpha), immunoregulatory (GM-CSF), and immunosuppressive (IL-10) cytokines. The immune mice had higher numbers of CD11b- CD11c(high) DEC-205(low) alveolar macrophages, but lower numbers of CD11b+ CD11c(high) DEC-205(high) dendritic cells, with the latter expressing significantly lower levels of the antiapoptotic marker TNFR-associated factor-1. Moreover, during the early stage of chronic infection, lung dendritic cells from immune mice expressed higher levels of MHC class II and CD40 molecules than similar cells from control mice. These results indicate that while a chronic disease state is the eventual outcome in both control and immune mice infected with M. tuberculosis by aerosol exposure, immune mice develop a protective granulomatous lesion by increasing macrophage numbers and reduced expression of protective and inflammatory cytokines.     

Macrophages as IL-25/IL-33-Responsive Cells Play an Important Role in the Induction of Type 2 Immunity

Type 2 immunity is essential for host protection against nematode infection but is detrimental in allergic inflammation or asthma. There is a major research focus on the effector molecules and specific cell types involved in the initiation of type 2 immunity. Recent work has implicated an important role of epithelial-derived cytokines, IL-25 and IL-33, acting on innate immune cells that are believed to be the initial sources of type 2 cytokines IL-4/IL-5/IL-13. The identities of the cell types that mediate the effects of IL-25/IL-33, however, remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrate that macrophages as IL-25/IL-33-responsive cells play an important role in inducing type 2 immunity using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Macrophages produced type 2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in response to the stimulation of IL-25/IL-33 in vitro, or were the IL-13-producing cells in mice administrated with exogenous IL-33 or infected with Heligmosomoides bakeri. In addition, IL-33 induced alternative activation of macrophages primarily through autocrine IL-13 activating the IL-4Rα-STAT6 pathway. Moreover, depletion of macrophages attenuated the IL-25/IL-33-induced type 2 immunity in mice, while adoptive transfer of IL-33-activated macrophages into mice with a chronic Heligmosomoides bakeri infection induced worm expulsion accompanied by a potent type 2 protective immune response. Thus, macrophages represent a unique population of the innate immune cells pivotal to type 2 immunity and a potential therapeutic target in controlling type 2 immunity-mediated inflammatory pathologies.     

Respiratory synctial virus infection in BALB/c mice previously immunized with formalin-inactivated virus induces enhanced pulmonary inflammatory response with a predominant Th2-like cytokine pattern.

Vaccination with formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus (FI-RSV) caused excessive disease in infants upon subsequent natural infection with RSV. Recent studies with BALB/c mice have suggested that T cells are important contributors to lung immunopathology during RSV infection. In this study, we investigated vaccine-induced enhanced disease by immunizing BALB/c mice with live RSV intranasally or with FI-RSV intramuscularly. The mice were challenged with RSV 6 weeks later, and the pulmonary inflammatory response was studied by analyzing cells obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage 4 and 8 days after challenge. FI-RSV-immunized mice had an increased number of total cells, granulocytes, eosinophils, and CD4+ cells but a decreased number of CD8+ cells. The immunized mice also had a marked increase in the expression of mRNA for the Th2-type cytokines interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13 as well as some increase in the expression of IL-10 (a Th2-type cytokine) mRNA and some decrease in the expression of IL-12 (a Th1-type cytokine) mRNA. The clear difference in the pulmonary inflammatory response to RSV between FI-RSV- and live-RSV-immunized mice suggests that this model can be used to evaluate the disease-enhancing potential of candidate RSV vaccines and better understand enhanced disease.