Identification of α-Dystroglycan as a Receptor for Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus and Lassa Fever Virus

Abstract

A peripheral membrane protein that is interactive with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was purified from cells permissive to infection. Tryptic peptides from this protein were determined to be alpha-dystroglycan (alpha-DG). Several strains of LCMV and other arenaviruses, including Lassa fever virus (LFV), Oliveros, and Mobala, bound to purified alpha-DG protein. Soluble alpha-DG blocked both LCMV and LFV infection. Cells bearing a null mutation of the gene encoding DG were resistant to LCMV infection, and reconstitution of DG expression in null mutant cells restored susceptibility to LCMV infection. Thus, alpha-DG is a cellular receptor for both LCMV and LFV.

Diseases of the central nervous system caused by lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and other arenaviruses

“…GP1 mediates attachment of the virus to its cellular target and subsequent receptor-mediated endocytosis (Pasqual et al, 2011). Alpha-dystroglycan has been identified as a cell receptor for LCMV and Lassa fever (LF) virus while human transferrin receptor 1 is the cell receptor for Junin and several other New World viruses (Cao et al, 1998;Smelt et al, 2001;Rojek and Kunz, 2008).…”

Efficient lentiviral transduction of Herpesvirus saimiri immortalized T cells as a model for gene therapy in primary immunodeficiencies

“…We chose LCMV envelope because (i) it is efficiently incorporated into HIV-1 vectors, 24,25 (ii) LCMV and VSVg bind different cell receptors 26,27 and therefore vectors pseudotyped with LCMV and VSVg use different entry mechanisms and (iii) LCMV but not VSVg may allow the stable production of broad-host-range retroviral vectors, which can be concentrated by ultracentrifugation. 24,25 We found that not only do LCMV-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors remain restricted to HVS-T cell transduction but also that HVS-T cell lines are transduced better with the VSVg pseudotypes.…”

“…24,25 We found that not only do LCMV-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors remain restricted to HVS-T cell transduction but also that HVS-T cell lines are transduced better with the VSVg pseudotypes. Since the receptor for VSVg is a membrane phospholipid 26 and for LCMV it is a-dystroglycan, 27 the restriction observed must occur at some stage after entry. Therefore, the low permissiveness of HVS-T cells may be due either to intrinsic cellular factors present in T cells 28,29 or to the possible expression of HVS latent genes that might interfere with lentiviral vector transduction.…”

Congenital Muscular Dystrophy

“…Loss of ADG expression in prostate and breast cancer cells correlates with a higher degree of malignancy (158,203,204). Correct post translational processing is also necessary for ADG to act as a receptor for a bacteria and viruses including lymphocytic choriomenigitis virus (LCMV) and Lassa Fever virus (LFV) (158,159).…”