Caveolin-1 Associated Adenovirus Entry into Human Corneal Cells

The cellular entry of viruses represents a critical area of study, not only for viral tropism, but also because viral entry dictates the nature of the immune response elicited upon infection. Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), caused by viruses within human adenovirus species D (HAdV-D), is a severe, ocular surface infection associated with corneal inflammation. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis has previously been shown to play a critical role in entry of other HAdV species into many host cell types. However, HAdV-D endocytosis into corneal cells has not been extensively studied. Herein, we show an essential role for cholesterol rich, lipid raft microdomains and caveolin-1, in the entry of HAdV-D37 into primary human corneal fibroblasts. Cholesterol depletion using methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) profoundly reduced viral infection. When replenished with soluble cholesterol, the effect of MβCD was reversed, allowing productive viral infection. HAdV-D37 DNA was identified in caveolin-1 rich endosomal fractions after infection. Src kinase activity was also increased in caveolin-1 rich endosomal fractions after infection, and Src phosphorylation and CXCL1 induction were both decreased in caveolin-1-/- mice corneas compared to wild type mice. siRNA knock down of caveolin-1 in corneal cells reduced chemokine induction upon viral infection, and caveolin-1-/- mouse corneas showed reduced cellular entry of HAdV-D37. As a control, HAdV-C2, a non-corneal pathogen, appeared to utilize the caveolar pathway for entry into A549 cells, but failed to infect corneal cells entirely, indicating virus and cell specific tropism. Immuno-electron microscopy confirmed the presence of caveolin-1 in HAdV-D37-containing vesicles during the earliest stages of viral entry. Collectively, these experiments indicate for the first time that HAdV-D37 uses a lipid raft mediated caveolin-1 associated pathway for entry into corneal cells, and connects the processes of viral entry with downstream proinflammatory cell signaling

Viral Capsid Is a Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern in Adenovirus Keratitis

Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection of the human eye, in particular serotypes 8, 19 and 37, induces the formation of corneal subepithelial leukocytic infiltrates. Using a unique mouse model of adenovirus keratitis, we studied the role of various virus-associated molecular patterns in subsequent innate immune responses of resident corneal cells to HAdV-37 infection. We found that neither viral DNA, viral gene expression, or viral replication was necessary for the development of keratitis. In contrast, empty viral capsid induced keratitis and a chemokine profile similar to intact virus. Transfected viral DNA did not induce leukocyte infiltration despite CCL2 expression similar to levels in virus infected corneas. Mice without toll-like receptor 9 (Tlr9) signaling developed clinical keratitis upon HAdV-37 infection similar to wild type mice, although the absolute numbers of activated monocytes in the cornea were less in Tlr9−/− mice. Virus induced leukocytic infiltrates and chemokine expression in mouse cornea could be blocked by treatment with a peptide containing arginine glycine aspartic acid (RGD). These results demonstrate that adenovirus infection of the cornea induces chemokine expression and subsequent infiltration by leukocytes principally through RGD contact between viral capsid and the host cell, possibly through direct interaction between the viral capsid penton base and host cell integrins

Corneal Transduction by Intra-Stromal Injection of AAV Vectors In Vivo in the Mouse and Ex Vivo in Human Explants

The cornea is a transparent, avascular tissue that acts as the major refractive surface of the eye. Corneal transparency, assured by the inner stroma, is vital for this role. Disruption in stromal transparency can occur in some inherited or acquired diseases. As a consequence, light entering the eye is blocked or distorted, leading to decreased visual acuity. Possible treatment for restoring transparency could be via viral-based gene therapy. The stroma is particularly amenable to this strategy due to its immunoprivileged nature and low turnover rate. We assayed the potential of AAV vectors to transduce keratocytes following intra-stromal injection in vivo in the mouse cornea and ex vivo in human explants. In murine and human corneas, we transduced the entire stroma using a single injection, preferentially targeted keratocytes and achieved long-term gene transfer (up to 17 months in vivo in mice). Of the serotypes tested, AAV2/8 was the most promising for gene transfer in both mouse and man. Furthermore, transgene expression could be transiently increased following aggression to the cornea

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PilY1 Binds Integrin in an RGD- and Calcium-Dependent Manner

PilY1 is a type IV pilus (tfp)-associated protein from the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa that shares functional similarity with related proteins in infectious Neisseria and Kingella species. Previous data have shown that PilY1 acts as a calcium-dependent pilus biogenesis factor necessary for twitching motility with a specific calcium binding site located at amino acids 850–859 in the 1,163 residue protein. In addition to motility, PilY1 is also thought to play an important role in the adhesion of P. aeruginosa tfp to host epithelial cells. Here, we show that PilY1 contains an integrin binding arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif located at residues 619–621 in the PilY1 from the PAK strain of P. aeruginosa; this motif is conserved in the PilY1s from the other P. aeruginosa strains of known sequence. We demonstrate that purified PilY1 binds integrin in vitro in an RGD-dependent manner. Furthermore, we identify a second calcium binding site (amino acids 600–608) located ten residues upstream of the RGD. Eliminating calcium binding from this site using a D608A mutation abolished integrin binding; in contrast, a calcium binding mimic (D608K) preserved integrin binding. Finally, we show that the previously established PilY1 calcium binding site at 851–859 also impacts the protein's association with integrin. Taken together, these data indicate that PilY1 binds to integrin in an RGD- and calcium-dependent manner in vitro. As such, P. aeruginosa may employ these interactions to mediate host epithelial cell binding in vivo

Caveolin-1 and cholesterol dependent viral entry.

<p>siRNA and scrambled (sc)RNA were generated and transfected into human corneal cells. <b>A</b>. Real-time RT-PCR for caveolin-1 mRNA confirmed successful reduction of caveolin-1 message (~95%) as compared to scRNA transfected cells (*p=.0002). <b>B</b>. Western blot showed reduced expression of caveolin-1 in caveolin-1 specific siRNA treated cells (right lane) as compared to untransfected and uninfected cells (left lane) or scRNA transfected, virus infected cells (middle lane) <b>C</b>. IL-8 mRNA expression after HAdV-D37 infection was reduced to almost 50% by caveolin-1 siRNA transfection, compared to scRNA (*p=.0001). </p

HAdV-37 enters human corneal fibroblasts through caveolin-1 containing, membrane associated vesicles.

<p>Human corneal fibroblasts were fixed in 2 % paraformaldehyde and the fixed, dehydrated cell pellet embedded and sectioned at 70-90 nm. Specimens were stained with uranyl acetate and Sato’s lead stain, and viewed by transmission electron microscopy. <b>A</b>. Photo-electron micrograph of cell membrane demonstrates multiple flask shaped vesicles resembling caveolae (1), and the formation of a cavesome-like structures (2). <b>B</b>-<b>D</b>. After 30 min of absorption at 4°C, and 30 min incubation at 37°C, virus can be seen within similar structures (3), and in some cases within what appear to be early or late fusions of caveolae to form caveosomes (4). Immunoelectron microscopy for caveolin-1 (<b>E</b>, <b>F</b>) was performed on cells infected as above, but treated with 2.3 M sucrose in PBS for 15 min, frozen, and sectioned at -120° C at 50-80 nm thickness. After immunostaining, protein-A nanogold was visualized by electron microscopy. (<b>E</b>) Uninfected cells stained for caveolin-1 demonstrate binding of 10 nm gold particles to flask-shaped vesicles. (<b>F</b>) After virus infection, virus (arrows) can be seen within vesicles also associated with gold particles. Scale bar = 500 nm. </p

HAdV-37 uses caveolin-1 to enter human corneal cells.

<p><b>A</b>. Human corneal and A549 cells grown on slide chambers were infected with Cy3-labeled HAdV-D37 (red). Cells were then stained with caveolin-1 or LAMP1 antibodies as indicated followed by alexa-fluor488 (green) secondary antibodies. Original magnification: 63X. Insets represent similarly magnified squares from each photomicrograph. <b>B</b>. Three random frames from different experiments were chosen in masked fashion from each experiment (n=3) to quantify co-localization using Amira 5.2.2. In A549 cells, HAdV-C2 co-localized predominantly with caveolin-1, while HAdV-D37 co-localized with LAMP1 (*p=.02 and *p=.0025, respectively). In corneal cells (CC), Cy3-labeled HAdV-D37 co-localized predominantly with caveolin-1 (*p=.0068), and HAdV-C2 was not seen. Students <i>t</i> test was used for all comparisons. <b>C</b>. Human corneal cells were grown in chamber slides, Cy3-labelled HAdV-D37 and 488-Cholera Toxin B (CTXB) were added to the cells on ice and then warmed to 37°C, and incubated for 30, 60, and 90 min, prior confocal microscopy. HAdV-D37 (red) co-localized with CTXB (green) at all time points. At 30 min after warming, HAdV-D37 and CTXB co-localization was observed at the cell membrane, at 60 min in the cytoplasm, and at 90 min at the perinuclear region. </p