Influenza A virus H5N1 entry into host cells is through clathrin-dependent endocytosis

Influenza A virus H5N1 presents a major threat to human health. The entry of influenza virus into host cells is believed to be mediated by hemagglutinin (HA), a virus surface glycoprotein that can bind terminal sialic acid residues on host cell glycoproteins and glycolipids. In this study, we elucidated the pathways through which H5N1 enters human lung carcinoma cell line A549. We first proved that H5N1 can enter A549 cells via endocytosis, as lysosomotropic agents, such as bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine, can rescue H5N1-induced A549 cell death. By using specific inhibitors, and siRNAs that target the clathrin pathway, we further found that H5N1 could enter A549 cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, while inhibitors targeting caveolae-mediated endocytosis could not inhibit H5N1 cell entry. These findings expand our understanding of H5N1 pathogenesis and provide new information for anti-viral drug research. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30623009) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2005CB523000)