Investigation of Rhinovirus and SARS-CoV-2 replication in nasal polyp explants.

• Grant number: 23/18078-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Eurico de Arruda Neto
• Grantee: Rafael Alves Lopes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP) is a prevalent pathology characterized by persistent inflammation in the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses, which affects the nasal mucosa, causing important tissue remodeling. Respiratory viruses such as Rhinovirus (RV) and SARS, highly prevalent and distributed in the world population, commonly infect the nasal mucosa and can, in a case of CRSwNP, replicate in the polyp tissue and, eventually, produce progeny. In order to explore these aspects, nasal polyp explants will be cultured ex-vivo in order to simulate the microenvironment generated by CRSwNP in the body. The explants will be infected with the aforementioned viral species (RV major and minor, or SARS-CoV-2) in order to analyze their replication in the tissue hours after infection. In parallel to this, the production of viral progeny will be investigated through the supernatant obtained from the ex-vivo cultivation of explants. With this, it is expected to contribute to the elucidation of aspects of the viability of replication and production of respiratory viruses in explants of nasal polyp tissues in the context of CRSwNP.