[Expression of B7 molecules and TLR-9 on corneal epithelial cells infected with adenovirus: clinico-pathological implications in viral keratoconjunctivitis].
OBJECTIVE
B7 molecules are a family of proteins that co-stimulate T cells during immune activation. Normally the corneal epithelial cells (CEC) do not express these molecules on their cell surface. Toll-like receptors play an important role in the innate immune response to invading pathogens and recently have been demonstrated to be expressed on mice cornea. The objective of this study was to determine whether adenoviral infection induces B7 molecules and TLR9 on human CEC.


METHODS
CEC were isolated from human corneas treated with dispase-II, and grown in the presence of supplemented hormonal epithelial medium until confluence. Then CEC were then infected with adenovirus 5 (Ad5) and cultured for different times. The CEC were then recovered and stained against human CD80, CD86, TLR-9 and cytokeratin. All cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Ad5 infection of CEC induced the expression of B7 molecules and TLR-9 after 24 hours in culture, rising to maximum levels at 72 hours. B7 expression at 72 hours was as follows: CD80 expression on infected CEC was 62% (standard error [SE] 2.6) versus 3% (SE 1.2) on non-infected CEC (p<0.001); CD86 expression on infected CEC was 95% (SE 2.1) versus 5% (SE 1.2) on non-infected CEC (p<0.001). TLR-9 expression at 72 hours was 80% (SE 1.2) on infected CEC versus 5% (SE 1) on non-infected CEC (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Ad5 infection induced the expression of B7 molecules and TLR-9 on CEC.
Jiménez-Martínez
M C
MC
Instituto de Oftalmología Fundación Conde de Valenciana, Unidad de Investigación y Departamento de Córnea, México, D.F., México. jmariacarmen@yahoo.com
Mejía
H
H
Linares
M
M
Santacruz
C
C
Sánchez-Navarro
A
A
Suárez
R
R
Garfias
Y
Y
D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9