Avid Bioservices Inc (CDMO)

[biopharm]

The Ins and Outs of Viral Infection: Keystone Meeting Review

Viruses. Sep 2014; 6(9): 3652–3662.
Published online Sep 25, 2014. doi: 10.3390/v6093652

The way in which viruses exit an infected cell can have a profound impact on how they enter new target cells. As Hyeryun Choe (Scripps Research Institute, Florida) described, phosphatidylserine (PS) is exposed on the outside of many enveloped viruses. Phagocytic cells respond to PS, found normally on apoptotic bodies, via T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain-containing (TIM) receptors, and engulf these bodies. Choe’s group has shown that infection of many enveloped viruses, such as filoviruses and flaviviruses, is enhanced by these PS receptors, which often function in conjunction with primary viral receptors [27]. To determine whether or not a viral receptor is necessary for PS-mediated entry, Choe and colleagues infected CHO cells expressing TIM-1 but deficient for expression of the Ebolavirus receptor and found that Ebolavirus entry did not occur. However, blocking PS receptors on macrophages also prevented entry of Ebolavirus virus-like particles. These results suggest that PS receptors could provide a broad therapeutic target against infection of a diverse family of enveloped viruses.

7. Conclusions

Overall, the meeting was unique in that it focused on novel mechanisms of viral entry and exit across a broad range of viruses, revealing that some very distinct viruses share common strategies for spread among hosts. Attendees of this meeting gained new scientific knowledge, potential collaborations, and new methodologies, for furthering the field.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189043/