Body's response to cold creates symptoms

CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- It's the not the virus itself but the body's response to the common cold that creates miserable cold symptoms, U.S. and Canadian researchers said.

Scientists from Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, the University of Calgary and the University of Virginia said the study identifies several categories of therapeutic targets that could balance the immune response to minimize symptoms during an infection.

The study, published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that of the many antiviral compounds made by the epithelial cells, one, called viperin, was especially intriguing. The study volunteers produced on average 6.5 times more of the viperin gene product than the control group.

Previous research found that viperin helps fend off influenza virus, but this study is the first in humans to show that the compound also combats rhinovirus, said senior author David Proud of the University of Calgary.

"Rhinovirus is the major cause of the common cold, but it is also an important pathogen in more serious conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," Proud said in a statement. "The study's findings are a major step toward more targeted cold prevention and treatment strategies while also serving as a valuable roadmap for the broader respiratory science community."