Corneal cell survival in adenovirus type 19 infection requires phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt activation.

ABSTRACT: Adenovirus type 19 is a major cause of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, the only ocular adenoviral infection associated with prolonged corneal inflammation. In this study, we investigated the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt and their downstream targets in adenovirus infection, and here we report the novel finding that adenovirus type 19 utilizes the PI3K/Akt pathway to maintain corneal fibroblast viability in acute infection. We demonstrate phosphorylation of GSK-3beta and nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB, both downstream targets of the PI3K/Akt pathway, in adenovirus-infected corneal fibroblasts in a PI3K-dependent manner. Inhibition of PI3K had no effect on early viral gene expression, suggesting normal viral internalization, but pretreatment with the

SUBMITTER: Rajala MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1211526 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature