Rhinovirus infection increases 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 in bronchial biopsy specimens from nonatopic subjects

Rhinovirus infections cause wheeze, cough, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. To investigate the involvement of cysteinyl-leukotrienes and prostanoids in these symptoms, bronchial biopsy specimens from 9 normal subjects (nonatopic and with no history of chronic lung disease) were immunostained for 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway enzymes 2 weeks before and 4 days after experimental infection with human rhinovirus serotype 16. 5-LO-positive cell counts increased 9-fold (from 0.48 to 4.4 cells/mm(2); P < .05), and 5-LO-activating protein (FLAP)-positive cell counts increased 3.6-fold (from 1.8 to 6.5 cells/mm(2); P = .09). Levels of leukotriene A(4) hydrolase and leukotriene C-4 synthase were unchanged. COX-2-positive cell counts increased from 0 to 2.6 cells/mm(2) (P = .009), with no change in COX-1 levels. Increases of 3-4-fold were seen in levels of macrophages (P = .02) and mast cells (P = .07) but not of eosinophils (P > .4), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cysteinyl-leukotriene levels doubled (from 11.2 to 20.4 pg/mL; P = .13). Cold symptom scores correlated with bronchial immunostaining for FLAP (rho = 0.93; P = .001). In normal subjects, rhinovirus colds induce bronchial inflammation with markedly enhanced expression of 5-LO pathway proteins and COX-2.