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Tetraspanin CD9 Is a Positive Regulator of Filovirus Egress
Loveleena K Anand1, Marija A Djurkovic2, Ariel Shepley-McTaggart1
1Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Viruses
|January 28, 2026
Summary
Tetraspanin CD9 facilitates the efficient egress of Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV) viruses. This finding identifies CD9 as a potential target for developing new antiviral therapies against filoviruses.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Filoviruses, such as Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV) viruses, are zoonotic pathogens causing severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates.
- Viral egress and spread are orchestrated by the matrix protein VP40 and modulated by host-cell interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of tetraspanin CD9 in the egress of EBOV and MARV.
- To identify CD9 as a potential therapeutic target for filovirus infections.
Main Methods:
- Utilized CD9-knockdown (KD) cells and wild-type (WT) cells to assess viral egress.
- Quantified the egress of virus-like particles (VLPs) and live filoviruses.
- Assessed the rescue effect of exogenous CD9 expression on viral egress.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in viral egress was observed in CD9-KD cells compared to WT cells.
- Exogenous expression of CD9 restored VP40 VLP egress in CD9-KD cells to levels near those in WT cells.
- Tetraspanin CD9 acts as a positive regulator of filovirus egress.
Conclusions:
- Tetraspanin CD9 plays a crucial role in facilitating efficient filovirus egress.
- CD9 represents a potential novel target for antiviral strategies aimed at inhibiting the late stages of the filovirus lifecycle.
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