Corneal IL-8 expression following adenovirus infection is mediated by c-Src activation in human corneal fibroblasts

Emerging evidence indicates that intracellular signaling cascades mediate entry of pathogenic adenoviruses into target host cells as well as some of the undesirable inflammatory responses to adenoviral gene vectors. We found that Ad19 infection of cultured human corneal fibroblasts induced IL-8 gene transcription independently of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and viral gene expression, suggesting that intracellular signaling events might mediate early inflammatory events in adenovirus keratitis. Heat but not UV light inactivation of the virus abrogated the effect of infection on IL-8 mRNA and protein levels, consistent with a viral binding-mediated mechanism. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin blocked Ad19-induced IL-8 expression. Western blot analysis revealed tyrosine phosphorylation of the functionally related kinases c-Src and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 in corneal fibroblasts within 15 min after infection. Respective inhibitors of these kinases, PP2 and PD98059, also blocked Ad19-induced IL-8 mRNA and protein expression. Application of inhibitors to Src and ERK kinase assays suggested an upstream relationship of c-Src to ERK. Finally, DNA microarray studies performed 1 h after Ad19 or mock infection of corneal fibroblasts in the presence or absence of the Src-specific inhibitor PP2 confirmed a relationship between c-Src and IL-8 expression in Ad19-infected corneal cells. c-Src may act as a global regulator of early proinflammatory host responses to Ad19 infection of the human cornea.