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Updated: May 21, 2026

Determination of Biofilm Initiation on Virus-infected Cells by Bacteria and Fungi
Published on: July 6, 2016
Nectin 4 is the epithelial cell receptor for measles virus
Ryan S Noyce1, Christopher D Richardson
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1X5, Canada.
Abstract:
Measles virus (MV) causes acute respiratory disease, infects lymphocytes and multiple organs, and produces immune suppression leading to secondary infections. In rare instances it can also cause persistent infections in the brain and central nervous system. Vaccine and laboratory-adapted strains of MV use CD46 as a receptor, whereas wild-type strains of MV (wtMV) cannot. Both vaccine and wtMV strains infect lymphocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells (DCs) using the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (CD150/SLAM). In addition, MV can infect the airway epithelial cells of the host. Nectin 4 (PVRL4) was recently identified as the epithelial cell receptor for MV. Coupled with recent observations made in MV-infected macaques, this discovery has led to a new paradigm for how the virus accesses the respiratory tract and exits the host. Nectin 4 is also a tumor cell marker which is highly expressed on the apical surface of many adenocarcinoma cell lines, making it a potential target for MV oncolytic therapy.
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