Heparin-like structures on respiratory syncytial virus are involved in its infectivity in vitro.
Addition of heparin to the virus culture inhibited syncytial plaque formation due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Moreover, pretreatment of the virus with heparinase or an inhibitor of heparin, protamine, greatly reduced virus infectivity. Two anti-heparan sulfate antibodies stained RSV-infected cells, but not noninfected cells, by immunofluorescence. One of the antibodies was capable of neutralizing RSV infection in vitro. These results prove that heparin-like structures identified on RSV play a major role in early stages of infection. The RSV G protein is the attachment protein. Both anti-heparan sulfate antibodies specifically bound to this protein. Enzymatic digestion of polysaccharides in the G protein reduced the binding, which indicates that heparin-like structures are on the G protein. Such oligosaccharides may therefore participate in the attachment of the virus.
Laboratoire de Microbiologie Médicale et Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, 21033 Dijon Cedex, France.
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Bourgeois
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Lidholt
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Gauthray
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Pothier
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002810:Chondroitinases and Chondroitin Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000276:immunology; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019763:Heparin Lyase / Q000378:metabolism; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011479:Protamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002810:Chondroitinases and Chondroitin Lyases; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006493:Heparin; D019763:Heparin Lyase; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D011479:Protamines