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 48 h 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 24 h 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.