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Updated: May 8, 2026
08:32
Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
Published on: March 2, 2014
CD46 is a cellular receptor for human herpesvirus 6
F Santoro1, P E Kennedy, G Locatelli
1Unit of Human Virology, DIBIT, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
Cell
|January 5, 2000
Summary
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) uses human CD46 as its cellular receptor for infection and cell fusion. This discovery offers new insights into HHV-6
Area of Science:
- Virology and Immunology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is linked to exanthema subitum, opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS progression.
- Understanding the cellular receptor for HHV-6 is crucial for elucidating its pathogenesis and tropism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the cellular receptor utilized by the two major subgroups of Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6 A and B).
- To investigate the role of this receptor in HHV-6 infection, cell fusion, and pathogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Experiments involved assessing HHV-6 interaction with human cells.
- Monoclonal antibodies and soluble CD46 were used to block HHV-6 mediated infection and cell fusion.
- Recombinant human CD46 was expressed in nonhuman cells to test for susceptibility to HHV-6.
Main Results:
- Both HHV-6 subgroups A and B were shown to use human CD46 as their cellular receptor.
- Surface CD46 expression decreased during HHV-6 infection.
- Monoclonal antibodies and soluble CD46 specifically inhibited HHV-6 infection and cell fusion; nonhuman cells expressing CD46 became susceptible to HHV-6.
Conclusions:
- Human CD46 serves as the cellular receptor for Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) subgroups A and B.
- The utilization of a ubiquitous immunoregulatory receptor by HHV-6 provides new perspectives on viral tropism and pathogenicity.
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