The VLDLR entry receptor is required for the pathogenesis of multiple encephalitic alphaviruses

The very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) has been reported as an entry receptor for Semliki Forest (SFV) and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV) alphaviruses in cell cultures. However, the role of VLDLR in alphavirus pathogenesis and the extent to which other alphaviruses can engage VLDLR remains unclear. Here, using a surface protein-targeted CRISPR-Cas9 screen, we identify VLDLR as a receptor for Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and demonstrate that it promotes the infection of multiple viruses in the WEE antigenic complex. In vivo studies show that the pathogenicity of WEEV, EEEV, and SFV, but not the distantly related Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, is markedly diminished in VLDLR-deficient mice and that mice treated with a soluble VLDLR-Fc decoy molecule are protected against disease. Overall, these results expand our understanding of the role of VLDLR in alphavirus pathogenesis and provide a potential path for developing countermeasures against alphaviruses from different antigenic complexes.