Airway epithelia clear rhinovirus infection via two waves of cell extrusion

Le résumé fourni par la source

Epithelial barriers represent the first line of defence against pathogens, yet their role in innate immunity is typically 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, autonomously 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 inadvertently promoting viral spread, 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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