Role Played by Receptors for Advanced Glycosylation End Products in Corneal Endothelial Cells after HSV-1 Infection

Senescence, sterile inflammation, and infection cause dysfunction of corneal endothelial cells, leading to visual morbidity that may require corneal transplantation. With increasing age, the extracellular matrix is modified by non-enzymatic glycation forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The modifications are primarily sensed by the receptors for the AGEs (RAGE) and are manifested as a type I interferon response. Interestingly, in our study, human corneal endothelial cells (HCEn) cells did not respond to the typical RAGE ligands, including the AGEs, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and serum amyloid-A (SAA). Instead, HCEn cells responded exclusively to the CpG DNA, which is possessed by typical corneal pathogen, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). Upon HSV-1 infection, the surface expression of RAGE was increased, and endocytosed HSV-1 was associated with RAGE and CpG DNA receptor, TLR9. RAGE DNA transfection markedly increased interferon-beta secretion by CpG DNA or HSV-1 infection. HSV-1 infection-induced interferon-beta secretion was abolished by TLR9 inhibition and partially by RAGE inhibition. Global transcriptional response analysis confirmed that RAGE and TLR9 were both significantly involved in type I interferon responses. We conclude that RAGE is a sensor of HSV-1 infection and provokes a type I interferon response.

Automated summary

Senescence, sterile inflammation, and infection can lead to dysfunction of corneal endothelial cells, requiring corneal transplantation. Corneal endothelial cells respond to HSV-1 infection by activating interferon responses, with RAGE playing a key role as a sensor.