RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Pearson, Hayley A1 Barr, John A1 Mankouri, JamelYR 2020 T1 Unravelling the requirement for host cell chloride channels during HRSV infection JF Access Microbiology, VO 2 IS 7A OP SP 746 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.ac2020.po0640 PB Microbiology Society, SN 2516-8290, AB Ion channels are a diverse class of transmembrane proteins that selectively allow ions across membranes, influencing a multitude of cellular processes. Modulation of these channels by viruses is emerging as an important host-pathogen interaction that regulates critical stages of the virus multiplication cycle including entry, replication and egress. Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) causes severe respiratory tract infections globally and is one of the most lethal respiratory pathogens for infants in developing countries, with frequent development of bronchiolitis. Furthermore, it is the most significant cause of hospitalisation of infants in the UK. Evidence also indicates that severe childhood HRSV infection contributes towards the increased incidence of adult asthma. No HRSV vaccine is available, and currently the only treatment is immunoprophylaxis which is prohibitively expensive and only moderately effective; thus new treatment options are required. Utilising GFP-expressing HRSV in combination with an extensive panel of channel specific pharmacological inhibitors, we have identified an important role of cellular chloride (Cl-) channels during HRSV infection. Interestingly, pharmacological inhibition of specific Cl- channel families has ruled out involvement of the CFTR and instead highlighted a critical requirement for calcium-activated Cl- channels (CaCCs). Time of addition studies using CaCC blockers have indicated that these channels play a post-entry role during HRSV infection. Using genetic knockdown techniques we have isolated a single channel of interest and are now further investigating its role in facilitating HRSV multiplication, as well as assessing the importance of Cl- channels in replication cycles of other negative sense RNA viruses., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/acmi/10.1099/acmi.ac2020.po0640