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Melo-Narváez, M.C ; Eger, C.* ; Bertrams, W.* ; Benedikter, B.J.* ; Ling, F. ; Jones, M.R.* ; Jung, A.L.* ; Pauck, K.* ; Weckler, B.C.* ; Pott, H.* ; Procida-Kowalski, T.* ; Wilhelm, J.* ; Vollmeister, E.* ; Garn, H.* ; Kirschbaum, A.* ; Rohde, G.* ; Wygrecka, M.* ; Nawroth, J. ; Talavera-López, C.* ; Schmeck, B.* ; Lehmann, M.

Single-cell mapping reveals CXCL11 as a driver of mucus production and inflammation in influenza A virus exacerbation in COPD.

Thorax, DOI: 10.1136/thorax-2025-224202 (2026)
Publ. Version/Full Text DOI PMC
Open Access Hybrid
Creative Commons Lizenzvertrag
Influenza A virus (IAV)-induced exacerbations are a major contributor to morbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet the epithelial mechanisms that govern these events remain unknown. We profiled the response to IAV infection of differentiated airway epithelial cells from healthy donors and individuals with COPD at single-cell resolution. The analysis revealed infection-driven shifts across multiple epithelial compartments and distinct alterations in cell-cell communication in COPD, associated with an increased CXCL11 expression. Functional assays demonstrated that CXCL11 augments mucus-associated gene and protein expression, particularly MUC5AC, increases mucus secretion and viscosity and is associated with reduction of virus-related immune pathways. This highlights CXCL11 as a contributor to both mucus hypersecretion and impaired antiviral epithelial responses in COPD exacerbations.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Keywords Copd Pathology ; Viral Infection; Expression
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0040-6376
e-ISSN 1468-3296
Journal Thorax
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Publishing Place British Med Assoc House, Tavistock Square, London Wc1h 9jr, England
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI)
Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC)
Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI)
Grants Deutsches Zentrum fr Lungenforschung
BMBF)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
von Behring Rntgen Foundation
HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council
Hessisches Ministerium fr Wissenschaft und Kunst
National Institute of Health Sciences
Bundesministerium fr Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry of Education and Research