Analyses of arenavirus cell entry mechanisms including novel entry factors

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790451
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Virology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: TANI Hideki 国立感染症研究所, ウイルス第一部, 主任研究官 (20397706)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞侵入機構 / アレナウイルス / ルジョウイルス / NPC-1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several arenaviruses are known to cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in Sub-Saharan Africa and South America, where VHF is a major public health and medical concern. The biosafety level four categorization of these arenaviruses restricts their use and has impeded biological studies, including therapeutic drug and/or vaccine development. Due to difficulties associated with handling live viruses, pseudotype viruses, which transiently bear arenavirus envelope proteins based on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), have been developed as surrogate virus systems. In this study, we developed a pseudotype VSV bearing each envelope protein of various species of arenaviruses, including the newly identified Lujo virus (LUJV) and Chapare virus. We found that LUJpv utilizes neither αDG nor hTfR1 as receptor and unique characteristics of LUJV glycoprotein in membrane fusion and cell entry. Proper exclusion of cholesterol or some kinds of lipids may play important roles in the LUJpv cell entry.

Free Research Field

医学ウイルス学