title: Superficial vimentin mediates DENV-2 infection of vascular endothelial cells.
abstract: Damage to vascular endothelial cells (VECs) is a critical hallmark of hemorrhagic diseases caused by dengue virus (DENV). However, the precise molecular event involved in DENV binding and infection of VECs has yet to be clarified. In this study, vimentin (55 kDa) was identified to be involved in DENV-2 adsorption into VECs. This protein is located on the surface of VECs and interacts with DENV-2 envelope protein domain III (EDIII). The expression level of the superficial vimentin on VECs was not affected by viral infection or siRNA interference, indicating that the protein exists in a particular mode. Furthermore, the rod domain of the vimentin protein mainly functions in DENV-2 adsorption into VECs. Molecular docking results predicted several residues in vimentin rod and DENV EDIII; these residues may be responsible for cell-virus interactions. We propose that the superficial vimentin could be a novel molecule involved in DENV binding and infection of VECs. DENV EDIII directly interacts with the rod domain of vimentin on the VEC surface and thus mediates the infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jizhen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huagang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weilong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiancai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D062105:Molecular Docking Simulation; D011485:Protein Binding; D000072756:Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical; D000072757:Protein Conformation, beta-Strand; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells; D014746:Vimentin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053586:Virus Internalization
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins