Membrane cofactor protein is a receptor for adenoviruses associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

Subgroup D adenovirus (Ad) types 8, 19, and 37 (Ad8, -19, and -37, respectively) are causative agents of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis and genital tract infections. Previous studies showed that Ad37 binds to a 50-kDa membrane glycoprotein expressed on human ocular (conjunctival) cells. To identify and characterize the role of the 50-kDa glycoprotein in Ad37 infection, we partially purified this molecule from solubilized Chang C conjunctival cell membranes by using lentil lectin chromatography and preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Liquid chromatography coupled to nano-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was subsequently used to identify four Ad37 receptor candidates: CD46, CD87, CD98, and CD147. Immunodepletion analyses demonstrated that the 50-kDa protein is identical to CD46 (also known as membrane cofactor protein). The Ad37, but not Ad5, fiber knob bound to the extracellular domain of CD46, demonstrating a direct interaction of an Ad37 capsid protein with CD46. An antibody specific for the N-terminal 19 amino acids of CD46 also blocked Ad37 infection of human cervical carcinoma and conjunctival cells, indicating a requirement for CD46 in infection. Finally, expression of a 50-kDa isoform of human CD46 in a CD46-null cell line increased cell binding by wild-type Ad37 and gene delivery by an Ad vector pseudotyped with the Ad37 fiber, but not by a vector bearing the Ad5 fiber. Together, these studies demonstrate that CD46 serves as an attachment receptor for Ad37 and shed further light on the cell entry pathway of subgroup D Ads.     

The Arg279Gln [corrected] substitution in the adenovirus type 11p (Ad11p) fiber knob abolishes EDTA-resistant binding to A549 and CHO-CD46 cells, converting the phenotype to that of Ad7p

The major determinant of adenovirus (Ad) attachment to host cells is the C-terminal knob domain of the trimeric fiber protein. Ad type 11p (Ad11p; species B2) in contrast to Ad7p (species B1) utilizes at least two different cellular attachment receptors, designated sBAR (species B adenovirus receptor) and sB2AR (species B2 adenovirus receptor). CD46 has recently been identified as one of the Ad11p attachment receptors. However, CD46 did not seem to constitute a functional receptor for Ad7p. Although Ad7p shares high knob amino acid identity with Ad11p, Ad7p is deficient in binding to both sB2AR and CD46. To determine what regions of the Ad11p fiber knob are necessary for sB2AR-CD46 interaction, we constructed recombinant fiber knobs (rFK) with Ad11p/Ad7p chimeras and Ad11p sequences having a single amino acid substitution from Ad7p. Binding of the constructs to A549 and CHO-CD46 BC1 isoform-expressing cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. Our results indicate that an Arg279Gln [corrected] substitution is sufficient to convert the Ad11p receptor-interaction phenotype to that of Ad7p and abolish sB2AR and CD46 interaction. Also a Glu279Arg substitution in Ad7p rFKs increases CD46 binding. Thus, the lateral HI loop of the Ad11p fiber knob seems to be the key determinant for Ad11p sB2AR-CD46 interaction. This result is comparable to another non-coxsackie-adenovirus receptor binding Ad (Ad37p), where substitution of one amino acid abolishes virus-cell interaction. In conjunction with previous results, our findings also strongly suggest that sB2AR is equivalent to CD46.     

Crystal structure of species D adenovirus fiber knobs and their sialic acid binding sites

Adenovirus serotype 37 (Ad37) belongs to species D and can cause epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, whereas the closely related Ad19p does not. Primary cell attachment by adenoviruses is mediated through receptor binding of the knob domain of the fiber protein. The knobs of Ad37 and Ad19p differ at only two positions, Lys240Glu and Asn340Asp. We report the high-resolution crystal structures of the Ad37 and Ad19p knobs, both native and in complex with sialic acid, which has been proposed as a receptor for Ad37. Overall, the Ad37 and Ad19p knobs are very similar to previously reported knob structures, especially to that of Ad5, which binds the coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR). Ad37 and Ad19p knobs are structurally identical with the exception of the changed side chains and are structurally most similar to CAR-binding knobs (e.g., that of Ad5) rather than non-CAR-binding knobs (e.g., that of Ad3). The two mutations in Ad19p result in a partial loss of the exceptionally high positive surface charge of the Ad37 knob but do not affect sialic acid binding. This site is located on the top of the trimer and binds both alpha(2,3) and alpha(2,6)-linked sialyl-lactose, although only the sialic acid residue makes direct contact. Amino acid alignment suggests that the sialic acid binding site is conserved in several species D serotypes. Our results show that the altered viral tropism and cell binding of Ad19p relative to those of Ad37 are not explained by a different binding ability toward sialyl-lactose.     

Localization of regions in CD46 that interact with adenovirus

A variety of pathogens use CD46, a ubiquitously expressed membrane protein that regulates complement activation, as a cellular attachment receptor. While the CD46 binding sites of several pathogens, including measles virus, Neisseria gonorrhea, and human herpesvirus 6, have been described, the region of CD46 responsible for adenovirus binding has not been determined. In this study, we used competition experiments with known CD46 ligands, CD46-specific antibodies, and a set of CD46 mutants to localize the binding domain for the group B adenovirus serotype 35 (Ad35). Our results show that Ad35 competes with measles virus for binding to CD46 but not with complement protein C3b. We further show that this interaction is a protein-protein interaction and that N glycosylations do not critically contribute to infection with Ad35 fiber-containing Ad vectors. Our data demonstrate that the native conformation of the CCP2 domain is crucial for Ad35 binding and that the substitution of amino acids at positions 130 to 135 or 152 to 156 completely abolishes the receptor function of CD46. These regions localize to the same planar face of CD46 and likely form an extended adenovirus binding surface, since no single amino acid substitution within these areas eliminates virus binding. Finally, we demonstrate that the infection with a virus possessing human group B serotype Ad11 fibers is also mediated by the CCP2 domain. This information is important to better characterize the mechanisms of the receptor recognition by adenovirus relative to other pathogens that interact with CD46, and it may help in the design of antiviral therapeutics against adenovirus serotypes that use CD46 as a primary cellular attachment receptor.     

The Coxsackievirus-Adenovirus Receptor Protein Can Function as a Cellular Attachment Protein for Adenovirus Serotypes from Subgroups A, C, D, E, and F

Attachment of an adenovirus (Ad) to a cell is mediated by the capsid fiber protein. To date, only the cellular fiber receptor for subgroup C serotypes 2 and 5, the so-called coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR) protein, has been identified and cloned. Previous data suggested that the fiber of the subgroup D serotype Ad9 also recognizes CAR, since Ad9 and Ad2 fiber knobs cross-blocked each other’s cellular binding. Recombinant fiber knobs and ³H-labeled Ad virions from serotypes representing all six subgroups (A to F) were used to determine whether the knobs cross-blocked the binding of virions from different subgroups. With the exception of subgroup B, all subgroup representatives cross-competed, suggesting that they use CAR as a cellular fiber receptor as well. This result was confirmed by showing that CAR, produced in a soluble recombinant form (sCAR), bound to nitrocellulose-immobilized virions from the different subgroups except subgroup B. Similar results were found for blotted fiber knob proteins. The subgroup F virus Ad41 has both short and long fibers, but only the long fiber bound sCAR. The sCAR protein blocked the attachment of all virus serotypes that bound CAR. Moreover, CHO cells expressing human CAR, in contrast to untransformed CHO cells, all specifically bound the sCAR-binding serotypes. We conclude therefore that Ad serotypes from subgroups A, C, D, E, and F all use CAR as a cellular fiber receptor.     

Structural analysis of a fiber-pseudotyped adenovirus with ocular tropism suggests differential modes of cell receptor interactions

Adenovirus (Ad) entry into cells is initiated by the binding of the fiber knob to a cell surface receptor. The coxsackie- and adenovirus receptor (CAR) functions as the attachment receptor for many, but not all, Ad serotypes. Ad type 37 (Ad37), a subgroup D virus that causes keratoconjunctivitis in humans, does not infect cells via CAR despite demonstrated binding of the Ad37 knob to CAR. We have pseudotyped a fiber deletion Ad5 vector with the Ad37 fiber (Ad37f), and this vector retains the ocular tropism of Ad37. Here we present a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of Ad37f that shows the entire Ad37 fiber, including the shaft and knob domains. We have previously proposed that Ad37 may not utilize CAR for cell entry because of the geometric constraints imposed by a rigid fiber (E. Wu, J. Fernandez, S. K. Fleck, D. Von Seggern, S. Huang, and G. R. Nemerow, Virology 279:78-89, 2001). Consistent with this hypothesis, our structural results show that the Ad37 fiber is straight and rigid. Modeling of the interaction between Ad37f and host cell receptors indicates that fiber flexibility or rigidity, as well as length, can affect receptor usage and cellular tropism.     

Adenovirus Type 9 Fiber Knob Binds to the Coxsackie B Virus-Adenovirus Receptor (CAR) with Lower Affinity than Fiber Knobs of Other CAR-Binding Adenovirus Serotypes

The coxsackie B virus and adenovirus (Ad) receptor (CAR) functions as an attachment receptor for multiple Ad serotypes. Here we show that the Ad serotype 9 (Ad9) fiber knob binds to CAR with much reduced affinity compared to the binding by Ad5 and Ad12 fiber knobs as well as the knob of the long fiber of Ad41 (Ad41L). Substitution of Asp222 in Ad9 fiber knob with a lysine that is conserved in Ad5, Ad12, and Ad41L substantially improved Ad9 fiber knob binding to CAR, while the corresponding substitution in Ad5 (Lys442Asp) significantly reduced Ad5 binding. The presence of an aspartic acid residue in Ad9 therefore accounts, at least in part, for the reduced CAR binding affinity of the Ad9 fiber knob. Site-directed mutagenesis of CAR revealed that CAR residues Leu73 and Lys121 and/or Lys123 are critical contact residues, with Tyr80 and Tyr83 being peripherally involved in the binding interaction with the Ad5, Ad9, Ad12, and Ad41L fiber knobs. The overall affinities and the association and dissociation rate constants for wild-type CAR as well as Tyr80 and Tyr83 CAR mutants differed between the serotypes, indicating that their binding modes, although similar, are not identical.     

Flexibility of the adenovirus fiber is required for efficient receptor interaction

The adenovirus (Ad) fiber protein mediates Ad binding to the coxsackievirus and Ad receptor (CAR) and is thus a major determinant of viral tropism. The fiber contains three domains: an N-terminal tail that anchors the fiber to the viral capsid, a central shaft region of variable length and flexibility, and a C-terminal knob domain that binds to cell receptors. Ad type 37 (Ad37), a subgroup D virus associated with severe ocular infections, is unable to use CAR efficiently to infect host cells, despite containing a CAR binding site in its fiber knob. We hypothesized that the relatively short, inflexible Ad37 fiber protein restricts interactions with CAR at the cell surface. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the infectivity and binding of recombinant Ad particles containing modified Ad37 or Ad5 fiber proteins. Ad5 particles equipped with a truncated Ad5 fiber or with a chimeric fiber protein comprised of the Ad5 knob fused to the short, rigid Ad37 shaft domain had significantly reduced infectivity and attachment. In contrast, placing the Ad37 knob onto the long, flexible Ad5 shaft allowed CAR-dependent virus infection and cell attachment, demonstrating the importance of the shaft domain in receptor usage. Increasing fiber rigidity by substituting the predicted flexibility modules in the Ad5 shaft with the corresponding regions of the rigid Ad37 fiber dramatically reduced both virus infection and cell attachment. Cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis demonstrated the increased rigidity of this chimeric fiber. These studies demonstrate that both length and flexibility of the fiber shaft regulate CAR interaction and provide a molecular explanation for the use of alternative receptors by subgroup D Ad with ocular tropism. We present a molecular model for Ad-CAR interactions at the cell surface that explains the significance of fiber flexibility in cell attachment.     

Dependence of adenovirus infectivity on length of the fiber shaft domain

One of the objectives in adenovirus (Ad) vector development is to target gene delivery to specific cell types. Major attention has been given to modification of the Ad fiber knob, which is thought to determine virus tropism. However, among the human Ad serotypes with different tissue tropisms, not only the knob but also the length of the fiber shaft domain varies significantly. In this study we attempted to delineate the role of fiber length in coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR)- and non-CAR-mediated infection. A series of Ad serotype 5 (Ad5) capsid-based vectors containing long or short fibers with knob domains derived from Ad5, Ad9, or Ad35 was constructed and tested in adsorption, internalization, and transduction studies. For Ad5 or Ad9 knob-possessing vectors, a long-shafted fiber was critical for efficient adsorption/internalization and transduction of CAR/alphav integrin-expressing cells. Ad5 capids containing short CAR-recognizing fibers were affected in cell adsorption and infection. In contrast, for the chimeric vectors possessing Ad35 knobs, which enter cells by a CAR/alphav integrin-independent pathway, fiber shaft length had no significant influence on binding or infectibility on tested cells. The weak attachment of short-shafted Ad5 or Ad9 knob-possessing vectors seems to be causally associated with a charge-dependent repulsion between Ad5 capsid and acidic cell surface proteins. The differences between short- and long-shafted vectors in attachment or infection were abrogated by preincubation of cells with polycations. This study demonstrates that the fiber-CAR interaction is not the sole determinant for tropism of Ad vectors containing chimeric fibers. CAR- and alphav integrin-mediated infections are influenced by other factors, including the length of the fiber shaft.     

Adenovirus type 37 uses sialic acid as a cellular receptor on Chang C cells

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a severe eye infection caused mainly by adenovirus type 8 (Ad8), Ad19, and Ad37. We have shown that the EKC-causing adenoviruses use sialic acid as a cellular receptor on A549 cells instead of the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor, which is used by most adenoviruses. Recently, Wu et al. (Virology 279:78-89, 2001) proposed that Ad37 uses a 50-kDa protein as a receptor on Chang C conjunctival cells and that this interaction is independent of sialic acid. According to the American Type Culture Collection, this cell line carries HeLa cell markers and should be considered to be a genital cell line. This prompted us to investigate the function of sialic acid as a cellular receptor for Ad37 in Chang C cells. In this study, we demonstrate that enzymatic removal or lectin-mediated blocking of cell surface sialic acid inhibits the binding of Ad37 virions to Chang C cells, as does soluble, virion-interacting sialic acid-containing substances. The binding was Ca2+ or Mg2+ ion independent and mediated by the knob domain of the trimeric viral fiber polypeptide. Moreover, Ad37 virions infected Chang C cells and two other genital cell lines (HeLa and SiHa) as well as a corneal cell line in a strictly sialic acid-dependent manner. From these results, we conclude that Ad37 uses sialic acid as a major receptor in cell lines derived from both genital and corneal tissues.     

Adenovirus type 5 and 7 capsid chimera: fiber replacement alters receptor tropism without affecting primary immune neutralization epitopes.

The efficient uptake of adenovirus into a target cell is a function of adenovirus capsid proteins and their interaction with the host cell. The capsid protein fiber mediates high-affinity attachment of adenovirus to the target cell. Although the cellular receptor(s) for adenovirus is unknown, evidence indicates that a single receptor does not function as the attachment site for each of the 49 different serotypes of adenovirus. Sequence variation of the fiber ligand, particularly in the C- terminal knob domain, is associated with serotype-specific binding specificity. Additionally, this domain of fiber functions as a major serotype determinant. Fiber involvement in cell targeting and its function as a target of the host immune response make the fiber gene an attractive target for manipulation, both from the perspective of adenovirus biology and from the perspective of using adenovirus vectors for gene transfer experiments. We have constructed a defective chimeric adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) reporter virus by replacing the Ad5 fiber gene with the fiber gene from Ad7A. Using the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene, we have characterized this virus with respect to infectivity both in vitro and in vivo. We have also characterized the role of antifiber antibody in the host neutralizing immune response to adenovirus infection. Our studies demonstrate that exchange of fiber is a strategy that will be useful in characterizing receptor tropism for different serotypes of adenovirus. Additionally, the neutralizing immune response to Ad5 and Ad7 does not differentiate between two viruses that differ only in their fiber proteins. Therefore, following a primary adenovirus inoculation, antibodies generated against fiber do not constitute a significant fraction of the neutralizing antibody population.     

Mouse adenovirus type 1 attachment is not mediated by the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor

Common human adenovirus (Ad) vectors are derived from serotype 2 or 5, which use the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) as their primary cell receptor. We investigated the receptor usage of mouse adenovirus type 1 (MAV-1), which in vivo is characterized by a pronounced endothelial cell tropism. Alignment of the fiber knob sequences of MAV-1 and those of CAR-using adenoviruses, revealed that amino acid residues, critical for interaction with CAR, are not conserved in the MAV-1 fiber knob. Attachment of MAV-1 to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was not increased by stable transfection with mouse CAR, whereas the binding efficiency of Ad2 was 20-fold higher in the mouse CAR-transfectant compared to the wild type cells. Also, purified fiber knob of Ad5, which is interchangeable with the Ad2 fiber knob, did not compete with MAV-1 for receptor binding, indicating that MAV-1 binds to a receptor different from CAR. These results support further exploration of an MAV-1-derived vector as a potential vehicle for gene delivery to cell types which are not efficiently transduced by human adenovirus vectors.     

Comparative analysis of adenovirus fiber-cell interaction: adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) and Ad9 utilize the same cellular fiber receptor but use different binding strategies for attachment.

We have analyzed the binding of adenovirus (Ad) serotypes from subgroups B, C, and D through fiber-virus and fiber-fiber cross-competition experiments. Since viruses in these distinct subgroups display markedly different tropisms, it was unexpected that the subgroup C viruses Ad2 and 5 and the subgroup D virus Ad9 cross-competed for the same cellular fiber receptor. The subgroup B serotype Ad3 recognized a receptor distinct from the Ad2, 5, and 9 fiber receptor. However, despite sharing the same fiber receptor, Ad2 and Ad9 displayed markedly different binding characteristics that appeared to result from direct Ad9 binding to cells via alpha(v)-integrins. Unlike Ad2, Ad9 binding to many cell lines was not abrogated by competition with the fiber 9 knob (F9K). Ad9 binding to fiber receptor-deficient cells was blocked by a monoclonal antibody to alpha(v)-integrins. In contrast, Ad9 binding to alpha(v)-deficient cells that express fiber receptor was blocked by F9K. Transfection of an alpha(v)-integrin-deficient cell line with a plasmid that expresses alpha(v)beta5 resulted in Ad9 binding that was not significantly blocked by F9K but was blocked with a combination of F9K and penton base. These results imply that the shorter length of fiber 9 (11 nm) relative to fiber 2 (37 nm) permits fiber-independent binding of Ad9 penton base to alpha(v)-integrins. The difference in fiber length may explain the different binding characteristics and tissue tropisms of each virus despite both utilizing the same fiber and penton base receptors.     

Structural basis for variation in adenovirus affinity for the cellular coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor

The majority of adenovirus serotypes can bind to the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) on human cells despite only limited conservation of the amino acid residues that comprise the receptor-binding sites of these viruses. Using a fluorescence anisotropy-based assay, we determined that the recombinant knob domain of the fiber protein from adenovirus serotype (Ad) 2 binds the soluble, N-terminal domain (domain 1 (D1)) of CAR with 8-fold greater affinity than does the recombinant knob domain from Ad12. Homology modeling predicted that the increased affinity of Ad2 knob for CAR D1 could result from additional contacts within the binding interface contributed by two residues, Ser408 and Tyr477, which are not conserved in the Ad12 knob. Consistent with this structural model, substitution of serine and tyrosine for the corresponding residues in the Ad12 knob (P417S and S489Y) increased the binding affinity by 4- and 8-fold, respectively, whereas the double mutation increased binding affinity 10-fold. X-ray structure analysis of Ad12 knob mutants P417S and S489Y indicated that both substituted residues potentially could form additional hydrogen bonds across the knob-CAR interface. Structural changes resulting from these mutations were highly localized, implying that the high tolerance for surface variation conferred by the stable knob scaffold can minimize the impact of antigenic drift on binding specificity and affinity during evolution of virus serotypes. Our results suggest that the interaction of knob domains from different adenovirus serotypes with CAR D1 can be accurately modeled using the Ad12 knob-CAR D1 crystal structure as a template.     

Role of cellular heparan sulfate proteoglycans in infection of human adenovirus serotype 3 and 35

Species B human adenoviruses (Ads) are increasingly associated with outbreaks of acute respiratory disease in U.S. military personnel and civil population. The initial interaction of Ads with cellular attachment receptors on host cells is via Ad fiber knob protein. Our previous studies showed that one species B Ad receptor is the complement receptor CD46 that is used by serotypes 11, 16, 21, 35, and 50 but not by serotypes 3, 7, and 14. In this study, we attempted to identify yet-unknown species B cellular receptors. For this purpose we used recombinant Ad3 and Ad35 fiber knobs in high-throughput receptor screening methods including mass spectrometry analysis and glycan arrays. Surprisingly, we found that the main interacting surface molecules of Ad3 fiber knob are cellular heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). We subsequently found that HSPGs acted as low-affinity co-receptors for Ad3 but did not represent the main receptor of this serotype. Our study also revealed a new CD46-independent infection pathway of Ad35. This Ad35 infection mechanism is mediated by cellular HSPGs. The interaction of Ad35 with HSPGs is not via fiber knob, whereas Ad3 interacts with HSPGs via fiber knob. Both Ad3 and Ad35 interacted specifically with the sulfated regions within HSPGs that have also been implicated in binding physiologic ligands. In conclusion, our findings show that Ad3 and Ad35 directly utilize HSPGs as co-receptors for infection. Our data suggest that adenoviruses evolved to simulate the presence of physiologic HSPG ligands in order to increase infection.     

Improved adenovirus vectors for infection of cardiovascular tissues

To identify improved adenovirus vectors for cardiovascular gene therapy, a library of adenovirus vectors based on adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) but carrying fiber molecules of other human serotypes, was generated. This library was tested for efficiency of infection of human primary vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Based on luciferase, LacZ, or green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker gene expression, several fiber chimeric vectors were identified that displayed improved infection of these cell types. One of the viruses that performed particularly well is an Ad5 carrying the fiber of Ad16 (Ad5.Fib16), a subgroup B virus. This virus showed, on average, 8- and 64-fold-increased luciferase activities on umbilical vein ECs and SMCs, respectively, compared to the parent vector. GFP and lacZ markers showed that approximately 3-fold (ECs) and 10-fold (SMCs) more cells were transduced. Experiments performed with both cultured SMCs and organ cultures derived from different vascular origins (saphenous vein, iliac artery, left interior mammary artery, and aorta) and from different species demonstrated that Ad5.Fib16 consistently displays improved infection in primates (humans and rhesus monkeys). SMCs of the same vessels of rodents and pigs were less infectable with Ad5.Fib16 than with Ad5. This suggests that either the receptor for human Ad16 is not conserved between different species or that differences in the expression levels of the putative receptor exist. In conclusion, our results show that an Ad5-based virus carrying the fiber of Ad16 is a potent vector for the transduction of primate cardiovascular cells and tissues.     

Adenovirus interaction with distinct integrins mediates separate events in cell entry and gene delivery to hematopoietic cells.

A major impediment to the effective use of adenovirus vectors for gene therapy is a lack of knowledge of how these vectors interact with diverse cell types in vivo. Adenovirus attachment to most human cell types is mediated by the fiber protein, which binds to an as yet unidentified cell receptor. In contrast to this, we report that adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) attachment to hematopoietic cells is facilitated by interaction of the penton base protein with members of the beta2 integrin family. Adenovirus particles were capable of binding to human monocytic cells, which lack fiber receptors, and virus binding could be blocked by a soluble penton base or by a function-blocking monoclonal antibody to integrin alphaMbeta2. To confirm the role of alphaMbeta2 integrins in Ad2 binding to hematopoietic cells, we analyzed virus attachment and gene delivery to CHO cells expressing recombinant beta2 integrins. alphaMbeta2-expressing CHO cells supported 3- to 5-fold-higher levels of Ad2 binding and 5- to 10-fold-larger amounts of gene delivery than did nontransfected CHO cells, indicating that alphaMbeta2 facilitates adenovirus attachment to and infection of hematopoietic cells. While beta2 integrins promote Ad2 attachment to hematopoietic cells, further studies demonstrated that alphav integrins were required for the next step in infection, virus internalization into cell endosomes. These studies reveal a novel pathway of Ad2 infection of hematopoietic cells mediated by distinct integrins which facilitate separate events in virus entry. They also suggest a possible strategy for selective adenovirus-mediated gene delivery to hematopoietic cells.     

Efficient gene transfer into human CD34(+) cells by a retargeted adenovirus vector

Efficient infection with adenovirus (Ad) vectors based on serotype 5 (Ad5) requires the presence of coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptors (CAR) and alpha(v) integrins on cells. The paucity of these cellular receptors is thought to be a limiting factor for Ad gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells. In a systematic approach, we screened different Ad serotypes for interaction with noncycling human CD34(+) cells and K562 cells on the level of virus attachment, internalization, and replication. From these studies, serotype 35 emerged as the variant with the highest tropism for CD34(+) cells. A chimeric vector (Ad5GFP/F35) was generated which contained the short-shafted Ad35 fiber incorporated into an Ad5 capsid. This substitution was sufficient to transplant all infection properties from Ad35 to the chimeric vector. The retargeted, chimeric vector attached to a receptor different from CAR and entered cells by an alpha(v) integrin-independent pathway. In transduction studies, Ad5GFP/F35 expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP) in 54% of CD34(+) cells. In comparison, the standard Ad5GFP vector conferred GFP expression to only 25% of CD34(+) cells. Importantly, Ad5GFP transduction, but not Ad5GFP/F35, was restricted to a specific subset of CD34(+) cells expressing alpha(v) integrins. The actual transduction efficiency was even higher than 50% because Ad5GFP/F35 viral genomes were found in GFP-negative CD34(+) cell fractions, indicating that the cytomegalovirus promoter used for transgene expression was not active in all transduced cells. The chimeric vector allowed for gene transfer into a broader spectrum of CD34(+) cells, including subsets with potential stem cell capacity. Fifty-five percent of CD34(+) c-Kit(+) cells expressed GFP after infection with Ad5GFP/F35, whereas only 13% of CD34(+) c-Kit(+) cells were GFP positive after infection with Ad5GFP. These findings represent the basis for studies aimed toward stable gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells.     

Adenovirus type 11 uses CD46 as a cellular receptor

The 51 human adenovirus serotypes are divided into six species (A to F). Many adenoviruses use the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) for attachment to host cells in vitro. Species B adenoviruses do not compete with CAR-binding serotypes for binding to host cells, and it has been suggested that species B adenoviruses use a receptor other than CAR. Species B adenoviruses mainly cause disease in the respiratory tract, the eyes, and in the urinary tract. Here we demonstrate that adenovirus type 11 (Ad11; of species B) binds to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with CD46 (membrane cofactor protein)-cDNA at least 10 times more strongly than to CHO cells transfected with cDNAs encoding CAR or CD55 (decay accelerating factor). Nonpermissive CHO cells were rendered permissive to Ad11 infection upon transfection with CD46-cDNA. Soluble Ad11 fiber knob but not Ad7 or Ad5 knob inhibited binding of Ad11 virions to CD46-transfected cells, and anti-CD46 antibodies inhibited both binding of and infection by Ad11. From these results we conclude that CD46 is a cellular receptor for Ad11.     

Adenovirus type 5 fiber knob binds to MHC class I alpha2 domain at the surface of human epithelial and B lymphoblastoid cells.

Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) fiber receptor was investigated using reverse antibody biopanning of a phage-displayed hexapeptide library, and virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 1D6.3 and 7A2.7) raised against recombinant Ad5 fiber knob. Both mAbs inhibited attachment of Ad5 to HeLa cells. Mimotopes of 1D6.3 showed homology with the C-terminal segment of the alpha2 domain of the heavy chain of human MHC class I molecules (MHC-I alpha2), and mimotopes of 7A2.7 were consensus to human fibronectin type III (FNIII) modules. In vitro, GST-fused MHC-I alpha2- and FNIII-derived oligopeptides interacted with recombinant fibers in a subgroup-specific manner. In vivo, the MHC-I alpha2 synthetic icosapeptide RAIVGFRVQWLRRYFVNGSR showed a net neutralization effect on Ad5 in HeLa cells, whereas the FNIII icosapeptide RHILWTPANTPAMGYLARVS significantly increased Ad5 binding to HeLa cells. Daudi cells, which lack surface expression of HLA class I molecules, showed a weak capacity for Ad5 binding. In beta2-microglobulin-transfected Daudi cells, Ad5 attachment and permissivity were restored to HeLa cell levels, with 4000 receptors per cell and a binding constant of 1.4x10(10)/M. The results suggested that the conserved region of MHC-I alpha2-domain including Trp167 represents a high affinity receptor for Ad5 fiber knob, whereas ubiquitous FNIII modules would serve as auxiliary receptors.