Type-I interferon (IFN-I) production is an early response to viral infection and pathogenic viruses have evolved multiple strategies to evade this cellular defense. Some viruses can establish and maintain persistent infections by altering the IFN-I signaling pathway. Here, we studied IFN-I synthesis and response in an in vitro model of persistent infection by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a murine macrophage-like cell line. In this model, interferon regulatory factor 3 was constitutively active and located at nuclei of persistently infected cells, inducing expression of IFN-beta mRNA and protein. However, persistently infected macrophages did not respond in an autocrine manner to the secreted-IFN-beta or to recombinant-IFN-beta, since phosphorylated-STAT1 was not detected by western blot and transcription of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) Mx1 and ISG56 was not induced. Treatment of non-infected macrophages with supernatants from persistently infected cells induced STAT1 phosphorylation and ISGs expression, mediated by the IFN-I present in the supernatants, because blocking the IFN-I receptor inhibited STAT1 phosphorylation. Results suggest that the lack of autocrine response to IFN-I by the host cell may be one mechanism for maintenance of RSV persistence. Furthermore, STAT1 phosphorylation and ISGs expression induced in non-infected cells by supernatants from persistently infected macrophages suggest that RSV persistence may trigger a proinflammatory phenotype in non-infected cells as part of the pathogenesis of RSV infection.

Viruses can persist in differentiated cells (i.e., macrophages) over long periods of time, altering host cells functions but not inducing their death. We had previously reported that, in early passages (14–40) of a murine macrophage-like cell line persistently infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (MfP), FcgR-mediated phagocytosis and expression of FcgRIIB/RIII on the cell membrane were increased with respect to mock-infected macrophages (MfN). In this work, we explored the mechanism underlying such effects. Increases in FcgR expression and FcgR-mediated phagocytosis are preserved after more than 87 passages of the persistently infected culture. We analyzed the expression of FcgR isoforms at both mRNA and protein levels, and found out that RSV persistence distinctly affects the expression of FcgR isoforms. We also observed that the increase in FcgRs expression results neither from soluble factors (cytokines) or viral products released by the infected cells, nor from an increase in the rate of FcgR internalization. Our results suggest that RSV persistence in macrophages induce intracellular effects that have an impact on FcgRs gene expression at both mRNA and protein levels, and that the characteristics of RSV persistence were preserved for over 87 passages.

RSV infection in a macrophage-cell line activates the non-canonical NF-κB pathway and induces pro-inflammatory cytokine expression