High Pulmonary Levels of IL-6 and IL-1ß in Children with Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease Are Associated with Low Systemic IFN-? Production in Response to Non-Typeable Haemophilus influenzae

Pizzutto, Susan J.; Upham, John W.; Yerkovich, Stephanie T.; Chang, Anne B.

Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a common and important respiratory pathogen associated with CSLD/bronchiectasis [2] [3] [4] . Accumulating evidence from studies in adults [5, 6] and children [7, 8] suggest that a low capacity for IFN-γ production in response to NTHi may contribute to the cycle of infection and inflammation associated with the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to impaired immune responses and the pathogenesis of CSLD are important for the development of intervention therapies. The mechanisms leading to the impaired NTHi-driven IFN-γ response described in children and adults have not been investigated. The innate immune response helps drive the adaptive immune response (e.g. NTHi-driven IFN-γ response) however, our previous work showed limited evidence of impaired innate immune responses to NTHi in children with CSLD/bronchiectasis [8] . Thus, the current study focuses on possible downstream factors associated with impaired systemic NTHi-driven IFN-γ responses.