The asialoglycoprotein receptor is a potential liver-specific receptor for Marburg virus.
The liver is one of the main target organs of Marburg virus (MBG), a filovirus causing severe haemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate in humans and non-human primates. MBG grown in certain cells does not contain neuraminic acid, but has terminal galactose on its surface glycoprotein. This observation indicated that the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) of hepatocytes may serve as a receptor for MBG in the liver. Binding studies revealed that the attachment of MBG to ASGP-R-expressing HepG2 cells, but not to ASGP-R-negative E6 Vero cells, has the characteristics of ligand binding to the ASGP-R: binding is dependent on calcium and is inhibited by excess asialofetuin and by anti-ASGP-R antiserum. Asialofetuin and the specific antiserum also inhibited MBG infection of HepG2 cells. In addition, it was shown that expression of ASGP-R cDNA in NIH 3T3 cells enhanced the susceptibility of these cells to MBG infection 4.5-fold. Interaction of MBG with the hepatic ASGP-R could thus explain the marked hepatotropism of the virus.
Institut für Virologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.
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Becker
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Spiess
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Klenk
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D029024:Marburgvirus / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D014709:Vero Cells
D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011991:Receptors, Virus