title: Oligosaccharides as receptors for JC virus.
abstract: JC virus (JCV) belongs to the polyomavirus family of double-stranded DNA viruses and in humans causes a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Its hemagglutination activity and entry into host cells have been reported to depend on an N-linked glycoprotein containing sialic acid. In order to identify the receptors of JCV, we generated virus-like particles (VLP) consisting of major viral capsid protein VP1. We then developed an indirect VLP overlay assay to detect VLP binding to glycoproteins and a panel of glycolipids. We found that VLP bound to sialoglycoproteins, including alpha1-acid glycoprotein, fetuin, and transferrin receptor, and that this binding depended on alpha2-3-linked sialic acids and N-linked sugar chains. Neoglycoproteins were synthesized by using ovalbumin and conjugation with oligosaccharides containing the terminal alpha2-3- or alpha2-6-linked sialic acid or the branched alpha2-6-linked sialic acid. We show that the neoglycoprotein containing the terminal alpha2-6-linked sialic acid had the highest affinity for VLP, inhibited the hemagglutination activity of VLP and JCV, and inhibited the attachment of VLP to cells. We also demonstrate that VLP bound to specific glycolipids, such as lactosylceramide, and gangliosides, including GM3, GD2, GD3, GD1b, GT1b, and GQ1b, and that VLP bound weakly to GD1a but did not bind to GM1a, GM2, or galactocerebroside. Furthermore, the neoglycoprotein containing the terminal alpha2-6-linked sialic acid and the ganglioside GT1b inhibited JCV infection in the susceptible cell line IMR-32. These results suggest that the oligosaccharides of glycoproteins and glycolipids work as JCV receptors and may be feasible as anti-JCV agents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, CREST, JST, N15 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Komagome
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Atwood
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
mesh_terms: D005732:Gangliosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007577:JC Virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000378:metabolism; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D006017:Glycolipids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D010047:Ovalbumin; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid