Integrin alpha(v)beta3 (vitronectin receptor) is a candidate receptor for the virulent echovirus 9 strain Barty.
The enterovirus echovirus 9 strain Barty (E9/Barty) is pathogenic for newborn mice as well as for humans. In contrast to the apathogenic prototype strain Hill, strain Barty encodes an RGD motif in the C-terminal part of the structural protein VP1. Data are presented that show that E9/Barty binds its target cells via contact of the RGD motif to the alpha(v)beta3 integrin (vitronectin receptor), whereas prototype Hill uses a different, still unidentified receptor site. Furthermore, virus titres of murine muscle tissue were compared after infection of newborn and 1-, 2-, 3- and 12-week-old mice. The replication capacity of the virus decreased dramatically with age of the infected mice. Since E9/Barty does not replicate or replicates only poorly in mice older than about 5 days, and expression of the vitronectin receptor is reported to be down-regulated in striated muscle tissue during development, it is suggested that susceptibility of mice to this echovirus infection is controlled by the availability of alpha(v)beta3 integrin.
Nelsen-Salz
Birgit
B
Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
Eggers
Hans J
HJ
Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
Zimmermann
Holger
H
Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004459:Echovirus 9 / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D019030:Receptors, Vitronectin / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence
D011991:Receptors, Virus; D019030:Receptors, Vitronectin