Abstract:
Sensing of pathogens by specialized receptors is the hallmark of the innate immunity. Innate immune
response also mounts a defense response against various allergens and pollutants including particulate
matter present in the atmosphere. Air pollution has been included as the top threat to global health
declared by WHO which aims to cover more than three billion people against health emergencies from
2019 to 2023. Particulate matter (PM), one of the major components of air pollution, is a significant risk
factor for many human diseases and its adverse effects include morbidity and premature deaths
throughout the world. Several clinical and epidemiological studies have identified a key link between the
PM existence and the prevalence of respiratory and inflammatory disorders. However, the underlying
molecular mechanism is not well understood. Here, we investigated the influence of air pollutant, PM10
(particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 mm) during RNA virus infections using Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) e H5N1 virus. We thus characterized the transcriptomic profile of lung
epithelial cell line, A549 treated with PM10 prior to H5N1infection, which is known to cause severe lung
damage and respiratory disease. We found that PM10 enhances vulnerability (by cellular damage) and
regulates virus infectivity to enhance overall pathogenic burden in the lung cells. Additionally, the
transcriptomic profile highlights the connection of host factors related to various metabolic pathways
and immune responses which were dysregulated during virus infection. Collectively, our findings suggest
a strong link between the prevalence of respiratory illness and its association with the air quality
