Essential Roles of NF-κB and C/EBP in the Regulation of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 after Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection of Human Respiratory Epithelial Cell Cultures

To determine the molecular mechanism(s) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) upregulation in respiratory epithelial cells (REC; A549 cell cultures), we investigated the roles of the transcription factors NF-κB and C/EBP. Increases in ICAM-1 message required de novo mRNA synthesis. ICAM-1 promoter constructs (luciferase reporter gene) transfected into A549 monolayers demonstrated promoter activation following RSV infection. Activation was abolished by site-specific mutation of the NF-κB (−228) or C/EBP (−239) sites. These data support the critical role of the activation of NF-κB and C/EBP in RSV-induced ICAM-1 expression by REC.