DUSP10 negatively regulates the inflammatory response to rhinovirus through IL-1β signalling

Rhinoviral infection is a common trigger of the excessive inflammation observed during exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Rhinovirus (RV) recognition by pattern recognition receptors activates the MAPK pathways, common inducers of inflammatory gene production. A family of dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) can regulate MAPK function, but their roles in rhinoviral infection are not known. We hypothesised that DUSPs would negatively regulate the inflammatory response to RV infection. Our results revealed that p38 and JNK MAPKs play key roles in the inflammatory response of epithelial cells to RV infection. Three DUSPs previously shown to have roles in innate immunity, 1, 4 and 10, were expressed in primary bronchial epithelial cells, one of which, DUSP10, was down regulated by RV infection. Small interfering-RNA knock down of DUSP10 identified a role for the protein in negatively regulating inflammatory cytokine production in response to IL-1β alone and in combination with RV, without any effect on RV replication. This study identifies DUSP10 as an important regulator of airway inflammation in respiratory viral infection.