TY - JOUR AB - Viral corneal infection is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness. Polyinosinic‑polycytidylic acid, or poly(I:C), is similar to viral double‑stranded RNA in structure and has been implicated in the release of a variety of cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) by corneal fibroblasts. Sulforaphane (SFN) is an isothiocyanate compound found in cruciferous vegetables. The present study investigated the potential effect of SFN on the poly(I:C)‑stimulated release of cytokines, chemokines and MMPs in human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs). ELISA showed that SFN was associated with a time‑ and dose‑dependent reduction in poly(I:C)‑stimulated production of interleukin (IL)‑8, chemoattractant protein‑1, IL‑6, MMP‑1 and MMP‑3 by HCFs. Western blot analysis indicated that SFN suppressed the function of poly(I:C) by modulating mitogen‑activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including p38 and extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK), activator protein‑1 (AP‑1) component c‑Jun and the kinase, Akt, and the phosphorylation and degradation of the nuclear factor (NF)‑κB inhibitor IκB‑α. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that SFN attenuated the production of poly(I:C)‑induced nuclear translocation of the NF‑κB p65 subunit. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analysis revealed that SFN prevented the poly(I:C)‑induced upregulation of Toll‑like receptor 3 (TLR3) mRNA expression in HCFs. No significant cytotoxic effect of SFN on HCFs was observed. In summary, SFN attenuated the poly(I:C)‑induced production of proinflammatory chemokines, cytokines and MMPs by HCFs, by inhibiting TLR3, MAPK (p38 and ERK), AP‑1, Akt and NF‑κB signaling. SFN may therefore be a potential novel treatment for viral corneal infection by limiting immune cell infiltration. AD - Department of Ophthalmology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, P.R. China Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, P.R. China AU - Liu,Pingping AU - Liu,Ye AU - Zheng,Hui AU - Zheng,Xiaoshuo AU - Yang,Xiuxia AU - Zhao,Xiaojing AU - Chen,Lin AU - Liu,Yang DA - 2020/12/01 DO - 10.3892/mmr.2020.11633 EP - 5471 IS - 6 JO - Mol Med Rep KW - corneal fibroblast polyinosinic‑polycytidylic acid sulforaphane viral infection inflammation PY - 2020 SN - 1791-2997 1791-3004 SP - 5463 ST - Sulforaphane suppresses polyinosinic‑polycytidylic acid‑stimulated release of cytokines, chemokines and MMPs by human corneal fibroblasts T2 - Molecular Medicine Reports TI - Sulforaphane suppresses polyinosinic‑polycytidylic acid‑stimulated release of cytokines, chemokines and MMPs by human corneal fibroblasts UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2020.11633 VL - 22 ER -