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Gangliosides in early interactions between vesicular stomatitis virus and CER cells

Microbiologica
|October 1, 1985
PubMed

Insights

Gangliosides play a crucial role in how vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infects cells. These molecules on cell surfaces act as receptors, mediating viral attachment and subsequent infection.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Early interactions between viruses and host cells are critical for infection.
  • Gangliosides, complex glycosphingolipids, are present on cell membranes and implicated in various cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of gangliosides in the initial attachment of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to cultured embryonic retina (CER) cells.
  • To determine if gangliosides can inhibit VSV infection and if their presentation in liposomes affects this inhibition.

Main Methods:

  • Incubation of VSV with purified gangliosides from mammal brains and CER cells.
  • Experiments using gangliosides incorporated into liposomes.
  • Treatment of CER cells with glycosidases to remove carbohydrate moieties.
  • Re-incubation of deglycosylated cells with gangliosides.

Main Results:

  • Incubation of VSV with gangliosides significantly reduced subsequent CER cell infection.
  • Gangliosides within liposomes showed enhanced inhibition of VSV infection.
  • Glycosidase treatment of CER cells decreased viral attachment, indicating the role of carbohydrate structures.
  • Deglycosylated CER cells regained susceptibility to VSV infection upon immediate ganglioside treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Gangliosides are integral components of the receptor structure for vesiculoviruses on susceptible CER cells.
  • The carbohydrate portions of gangliosides are involved in the binding of rhabdoviruses.
  • Gangliosides are key mediators of early VSV-cell interactions.

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