On causes and regulation of anti-viral defence in asthma and COPD
Rhinovirus infection is a main trigger of asthma and COPD exacerbations. dsRNA, a viral replication intermediate, is sensed by pattern recognition receptors in the airway epithelium leading to down-stream induction of anti-viral interferons. Several studies have demonstrated that the rhinoviral-induced interferon response can be deficient in asthmatics, possibly resulting in more severe and length