title: CD81 is an entry coreceptor for hepatitis C virus.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoproteins E1/E2 can pseudotype retroviral particles and efficiently mediate entry into target cells. Using this experimental system, we determined HCV tropism for different cell types. Only primary hepatocytes and one hepatoma cell line were susceptible to HCV pseudovirus entry, which could be inhibited by sera from HCV-infected individuals. Furthermore, expression of the putative HCV receptor CD81 on nonpermissive human hepatic but not murine cells enabled HCV pseudovirus entry. Importantly, inhibition of viral entry by an anti-CD81 mAb occurred at a step following HCV attachment to target cells. Our results indicate that CD81 functions as a post-attachment entry coreceptor and that other cellular factors act in concert with CD81 to mediate HCV binding and entry into hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuel G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Cormier
authors.forename: Fay
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tsamis
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kajumo
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Durso
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dragic
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D060225:Tetraspanin 28
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C554798:CD81 protein, human; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D060225:Tetraspanin 28