Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract

Pitters, Malte; Fritsch, Henrik; Su, Ang; Jung, Klaus; Becher, Paul

doi:10.3390/v17091188

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Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract

by

Malte Pitters

¹,

Henrik Fritsch

¹

,

Ang Su

¹

,

Klaus Jung

²

and

Paul Becher

^1,*

¹

Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, D-30559 Hannover, Germany

²

Institute of Animal Genomics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, D-30559 Hannover, Germany

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Viruses 2025, 17(9), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091188

Submission received: 4 July 2025 / Revised: 22 August 2025 / Accepted: 26 August 2025 / Published: 29 August 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bovine Viral Diarrhea Viruses and Other Pestiviruses)

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Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) is a multifactorial and globally prevalent condition involving a combination of viral and bacterial pathogens, as well as environmental stressors. Viral agents often initiate infections in the upper respiratory tract (URT), predisposing animals to secondary bacterial infections and severe clinical manifestations. Among the key viral contributors to BRDC are bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1). In this study, submerged liquid cultures of undifferentiated bovine nasal epithelial cells (BNECs) were employed to investigate mono- and co-infections with BVDV and BHV-1. Epithelial barrier integrity was assessed to evaluate the cytopathic effects of BHV-1, while viral replication and release were quantified. Both viruses demonstrated polarized release, and BHV-1 infection exhibited a pronounced cytopathic effect. Notably, a preceding BVDV infection did not alter the progression or outcome of BHV-1 infection in this in vitro model. These findings suggest that primary BNEC cultures represent a valuable and physiologically relevant tool for studying viral dynamics and interactions associated with BRDC.

Keywords: bovine respiratory disease complex; bovine viral diarrhea virus; bovine herpesvirus 1; coinfection; primary epithelial cell culture; barrier integrity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Pitters, M.; Fritsch, H.; Su, A.; Jung, K.; Becher, P. Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract. Viruses 2025, 17, 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091188

AMA Style

Pitters M, Fritsch H, Su A, Jung K, Becher P. Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract. Viruses. 2025; 17(9):1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091188

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pitters, Malte, Henrik Fritsch, Ang Su, Klaus Jung, and Paul Becher. 2025. "Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract" Viruses 17, no. 9: 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091188

APA Style

Pitters, M., Fritsch, H., Su, A., Jung, K., & Becher, P. (2025). Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract. Viruses, 17(9), 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091188

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Application of Bovine Nasal Epithelial Cells as an In Vitro Model for Studying Viral Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract

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