Epithelial Cell Innate Responses to Rhinovirus Infection

Rhinoviruses are a major cause of the common cold and play a significant role in the exacerbation of various diseases of the airways, including asthma, rhinosinusitis (CRS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a normal person, they usually cause a self-limiting inflammatory response, mostly confined to the upper airways, and morbidity and mortality are minimal. In a patient with the above diseases, rhinovirus infection can cause a significant worsening of their preexisting disease and can cause life-threatening exacerbations. The purpose of this chapter is to briefly review the literature on the interaction of rhinoviruses with airway epithelium, the most important cellular target of rhinovirus infection, with the belief that improved knowledge of the molecular and cellular responses of the normal and diseased host with rhinovirus will lead to new opportunities to prevent exacerbations of airway diseases.