Development of rhinovirus study model using organ culture of turbinate mucosa

To better understand the pathophysiology of rhinovirus (RV) infection, a development of a study model using organ culture of turbinate mucosa was sought. Inferior turbinate mucosal tissues were cultured using air-liquid interface methods, on a support of gelfoam soaked in culture media. RV-16 was applied to the mucosal surface and washed off, and histological changes were evaluated. The success of RV infection was assayed by semi-nested RT-PCR of the mucosal surface fluid taken 48h after incubation. Intracellular RVs were visualized by in situ hybridization (ISH). Secretion of the cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, into the culture media was quantitated by ELISA. After 7 days of culture, the turbinate mucosae did not show significant damage. A PCR product indicating successful RV infection was detected in 5 out of 10 mucosal tissues. ISH showed a very small number of positively stained cells focally located in the epithelial layer. In the beginning 24h after infection, secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 into the culture media of infected mucosae was significantly greater than into the media of control mucosae. Our results indicate that the air-liquid interface organ culture of turbinate mucosa could serve as an acceptable in vitro model for studying RV infection.