Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) functions as a pivotal target in latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1)-mediated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell proliferation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) activation of NF-κB is pivotal for EBV-infected B lymphocyte survival. Herein, we found that LMP1 markedly rescued the suppressed the proliferation of several nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines caused by a Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) ligand poly (I:C). We profiled the expression alterations of TLR3 and LMP1 within these NPC cell lines in response to poly (I:C) treatment, and found a high correlation between them ws found, suggesting potential involvement of TLR3 in LMP1 signaling. Then, cells deficient in TLR3 were used to assess its role in poly (I:C)-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and LMP1-mediated NF-κB activation. NF-κB p65 activation and the consequent pro-inflammatory responses were unresponsive to poly (I:C) stimulation after TLR3 knockdown (KD), and NOS2 and MMP9 were substantially suppressed in CNE1-745, but nearly normal in LMP1-overexpressed CNE1-LMP1-745 cells. This suggests an alternative pathway that LMP1 may depend on, in terms of NOS2 and MMP9 regulation, whereas an unusual TLR3-dependent expression of c-Myc was identified. Consistently, poly (I:C)-induced retarded growth was reversed by TLR3 silencing, which was especially enhanced in LMP1-overexpressed cells. TLR3 is essential for poly (I:C)-incited NPC cell death, and occupies a critical role in LMP1-mediated NF-κB activation. Our findings provide new insight into the mechanism underlying LMP1-involved EBV-associated pathogenesis of refractory NPC, thereby potentially improving treatment outcome.