Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches
13:36

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches

Published on: May 6, 2015

Desmoglein 2 is a receptor for adenovirus serotypes 3, 7, 11 and 14

Hongjie Wang1, Zong-Yi Li, Ying Liu

  • 1University of Washington, Division of Medical Genetics, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Nature Medicine
|December 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Adenoviruses use desmoglein-2 (DSG-2) to infect cells, causing respiratory and urinary tract infections. This interaction opens cell junctions, potentially aiding cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Adenoviruses (Ad) are significant human pathogens responsible for respiratory and urinary tract infections.
  • Specific Ad serotypes (Ad3, Ad7, Ad11, Ad14) are major causes of human disease.
  • Understanding Ad-host interactions is crucial for developing antiviral strategies and therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the primary receptor for pathogenic adenoviruses Ad3, Ad7, Ad11, and Ad14.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which adenoviruses interact with host cells.
  • To explore potential therapeutic implications of these findings.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of desmoglein-2 (DSG-2) as the high-affinity receptor for Ad3, Ad7, Ad11, and Ad14.
  • Analysis of adenovirus binding to epithelial cells.
  • Investigation of DSG-2-mediated effects on intercellular junctions.
  • Studies using recombinant Ad3 penton dodecahedral particles (PtDds).

Main Results:

  • Desmoglein-2 (DSG-2) is confirmed as the primary high-affinity receptor for Ad3, Ad7, Ad11, and Ad14.
  • Adenovirus binding to DSG-2 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-like events, transiently opening intercellular junctions.
  • This junction opening facilitates access to other receptors like CD46 and Her2/neu.
  • Recombinant Ad3 penton dodecahedral particles (PtDds) can also trigger DSG-2-mediated junction opening.

Conclusions:

  • Desmoglein-2 (DSG-2) is a critical receptor for several pathogenic adenoviruses.
  • Adenovirus interaction with DSG-2 modulates epithelial cell junctions, impacting viral entry and pathogenesis.
  • These findings offer insights into adenovirus biology and suggest potential applications in cancer therapy.

More Related Videos

Determination of Biofilm Initiation on Virus-infected Cells by Bacteria and Fungi12:33

Determination of Biofilm Initiation on Virus-infected Cells by Bacteria and Fungi

Published on: July 6, 2016

Combined Genetic and Chemical Capsid Modifications of Adenovirus-Based Gene Transfer Vectors for Shielding and Targeting08:14

Combined Genetic and Chemical Capsid Modifications of Adenovirus-Based Gene Transfer Vectors for Shielding and Targeting

Published on: October 26, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Desmosomes01:05

Desmosomes

The term desmosome derives from the Greek words "desmo" and "soma" meaning "adhesion bodies." This structure was first observed during the late 1800s and described as small, dense nodules in the epidermis. Desmosomes are button-like structures that help form an interlinked network of intermediate filaments across the cells. These junctions are  essential to hold cells together under mechanical stress and to maintain tissue integrity. Desmosomes are multi-protein complexes comprising desmosomal...
Selectins01:25

Selectins

Cell adhesion is  an essential aspect of multicellularity. While stable cell interactions usually occur between cells of the same type, transient cell interactions occur between cells of different tissue types, such as between neutrophils and endothelial cells. Selectins are one class of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that bind carbohydrate ligands to form transient cell adhesion. They are rod-like proteins with a long extracellular part of variable length ending with the lectin domain, which...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Glycocalyx and its Functions01:14

Glycocalyx and its Functions

The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.
Components of...