Airway epithelia clear rhinovirus infection via two waves of cell extrusion

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ABSTRACT Epithelial barriers represent the first line of defence against pathogens, yet their role in innate immunity is typ-ically relegated to pathogen detection and immune cell recruitment. This perspective ignores a fundamental evolutionary principle: epithelia defended against pathogens long before complex immune systems evolved. Here, we demonstrate that human bronchial epithelial monolayers retain this ancestral capacity, autono-mously clearing rhinovirus (RV) within 24 hours by selectively extruding infected cells—a process we term virus-induced cell extrusion (VICE). VICE occurs in two waves: a rapid response occurring independently of virus entry, followed by a replication-dependent wave. Barrier-defective epithelia that cannot extrude fail to clear RV. While extrusion maintains barrier integrity and eliminates local infection, it also expels virus-laden cells, promoting transmission. Thus, VICE enables leukocyte-independent epithelial defence while inadver-tently promoting viral transmission, reflecting an evolutionary strategy that prioritizes barrier integrity over containment. These findings redefine epithelia as central players in viral pathogenesis and host protection.

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