A Single E627K Mutation in the PB2 Protein of H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus Increases Virulence by Inducing Higher Glucocorticoids (GCs) Level

While repeated infection of humans and enhanced replication and transmission in mice has attracted more attention to it, the pathogenesis of H9N2 virus was less known in mice. PB2 residue 627 as the virulent determinant of H5N1 virus is associated with systemic infection and impaired TCR activation, but the impact of this position in H9N2 virus on the host immune response has not been evaluated. In this study, we quantified the cellular immune response to infection in the mouse lung and demonstrate that V-K627 and rTs(E627K) infection caused a significant reduction in the numbers of T cells and inflammatory cells (Macrophage, Neutrophils, Dendritic cells) compared to mice infected with rV(K627E) and Ts-E627. Further, we discovered (i) a high level of thymocyte apoptosis resulted in impaired T cell development, which led to the reduced amount of mature T cells into lung, and (ii) the reduced inflammatory cells entering into lung was attributed to the diminished levels in pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Thereafter, we recognized that higher GCs level in plasma induced by V-K627 and rTs(E627K) infection was associated with the increased apoptosis in thymus and the reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines levels in lung. These data demonstrated that V-K627 and rTs(E627K) infection contributing to higher GCs level would decrease the magnitude of antiviral response in lung, which may be offered as a novel mechanism of enhanced pathogenicity for H9N2 AIV.