Immune system compound can kill respiratory virus in babies: study

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have found that a compound produced by the body's immune system can kill a virus that causes serious respiratory illness in babies, according to a study published Tuesday by the university.

Around a third of all children become ill from RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infection before the age of two. RSV infection causes a respiratory illness called bronchiolitis in young children that results in breathing difficulties and wheezing.

Researchers found that the compound, called cathelicidin, directly attacks virus particles, stopping them from binding to and infecting the body's cells.

Mice that cannot produce cathelicidin are more susceptible to RSV, but treating them with the compound at the same time as infection with RSV stops the animals from becoming ill, according to the researchers.

The study also showed that healthy adults who produce lower levels of cathelicidin in their nose are more susceptible to RSV infection.

The results suggest that the compound could prove useful as a therapy for people, the researchers say.

"Our study shows that boosting the body's natural defences could be a useful therapeutic approach to stop RSV infection from turning into a life-threatening infection in babies and vulnerable adults," said Dr Donald Davidson, from the university's MRC Center for Inflammation Research.

They now plan to investigate why some people produce more cathelicidin than others, in the hope that they can find new ways of boosting natural production of the compound. Endit