Multiple Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Strains Infecting HEp-2 and A549 Cells Reveal Cell Line-Dependent Differences in Resistance to RSV Infection
Anubama Rajan, Felipe-Andrés Piedra, Letisha Aideyan, Trevor McBride, Matthew J. Robertson, Hannah L. Johnson, Gina M. Aloisio, David Henke, Cristian Coarfa, Fabio Stossi, Vipin K. Menon, HarshaVardhan Doddapaneni, Donna M. Muzny, Sara J. Javornik Cregeen, Kristi L. Hoffman, Joseph F. Petrosino, Richard A. Gibbs, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Pedro A. Piedra
Abstract
Infection with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) early in life is essentially guaranteed and can lead to severe disease. Most RSV studies have involved either of two historic RSV/A strains infecting one of two cell lines, HEp-2 or A549 cells. However, RSV contains ample variation within two evolving subgroups (A and B), and HEp-2 and A549 cell lines are genetically distinct. Here, we measured viral action and host response in both HEp-2 and A549 cells infected with four RSV strains from both subgroups and representing both historic and more contemporary strains. We discovered a subgroup-dependent difference in viral gene expression and found A549 cells were more potently antiviral and more sensitive, albeit subtly, to viral variation. Our findings revealed important differences between RSV subgroups and two widely used cell lines and provided baseline data for experiments with model systems better representative of natural RSV infection.