Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
Modeling Dysplastic and Functional Lung Alveolar Repair after Influenza Infection
Published on: September 19, 2025
Lung irradiation increases mortality after influenza A virus challenge occurring late after exposure
Casey M Manning1, Carl J Johnston, Christina K Reed
1Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.
Purpose:
To address whether irradiation-induced changes in the lung environment alter responses to a viral challenge delivered late after exposure but before the appearance of late lung radiation injury.
Methods And Materials:
C57BL/6J mice received either lung alone or combined lung and whole-body irradiation (0-15 Gy). At 10 weeks after irradiation, animals were infected with 120 HAU influenza virus strain A/HKx31. Innate and adaptive immune cell recruitment was determined using flow cytometry. Cytokine and chemokine production and protein leakage into the lung after infection were assessed.
Results:
Prior irradiation led to a dose-dependent failure to regain body weight after infection and exacerbated mortality, but it did not affect virus-specific immune responses or virus clearance. Surviving irradiated animals displayed a persistent increase in total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and edema.
Conclusions:
Lung irradiation increased susceptibility to death after infection with influenza virus and impaired the ability to complete recovery. This altered response does not seem to be due to a radiation effect on the immune response, but it may possibly be an effect on epithelial repair.
