These data show that infection of corneal cells with HAdV-19 leads to activation of p38 MAPK and its downstream targets within 15 to 30 minutes post-infection, and induces an interaction between p38 MAPK and NFκB-p65, followed by nuclear translocation of activated NFκB-p65 to bind to the IL-8 promoter. The gene discussed is NFKB1; the disease is infection.