Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) replicate only in the terminally differentiating epithelium of the skin and mucosa. While infection of basal keratinocytes is considered a requirement for permissive infection, it remains unclear whether virions can specifically target basal cells for adsorption and uptake following epithelial wounding. We present evidence that HPV binds specifically to laminin 5 (LN5), a component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by migrating and basal keratinocytes. HPV type 11 capsids colocalized with LN5 in the ECM secreted by vaginal keratinocytes. Binding of both virions and virus-like particles to purified LN5 and to the LN5-rich ECM secreted by cultured keratinocytes was effectively blocked by pretreatment with anti-LN5 antibodies. HPV capsid binding to human cervical mucosa sections included the basement membrane which contains LN5. Cultured keratinocytes expressing ␣6 integrin, a transmembrane protein known to bind LN5, were readily infected by virions preadsorbed to LN5-containing substrates, whereas mutant keratinocytes lacking ␣6 integrin were relatively resistant to infection via this route. These findings suggest a model of natural HPV infection in which proliferating keratinocytes expressing ␣6 integrin at the site of epithelial wounding might be targeted by virions adsorbed transiently to LN5 secreted by migrating keratinocytes.Human papillomavirus (HPV) particles have been shown to adsorb to the plasma membranes of cultured cells via membrane-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) (18,20,33) or ␣6 integrin (CD49f) (15,26). Multiple HSPGs including CD44, syndecans and glypicans are expressed on the membranes of keratinocytes throughout the epidermis and mucosa (22,29). ␣6 integrin expression is generally restricted to basal keratinocytes where this transmembrane protein pairs with 4 integrin and contributes to the nucleation of hemidesmosomes connecting the keratin cytoskeleton to the basement membrane (BM) (reviewed in reference 28). Results from experiments utilizing several in vitro infection models suggest that the importance of a particular receptor in HPV adsorption/infection may differ between cell lines and viral genotypes (12,30,33).In addition to binding directly to membrane-associated glycoproteins, we recently found that HPV capsids are also capable of binding a component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by keratinocytes, but not by nonkeratinocyte cell lines (12). Here we show evidence that this secreted HPV adsorption receptor is laminin 5 (LN5), an epithelial laminin secreted by migrating keratinocytes as they invade wounded epithelium (reviewed in reference 27). In the context of the ECM secreted by cultured keratinocytes, HPV virions can use LN5 as an extracellular "transreceptor" by transiently binding LN5 and subsequently transferring to entry receptors on adjacent cells. In another viral system, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is hypothesized to transiently bind DC-SIGN (CD209) on immature dendritic cells within the epithelium an...