Alteration of cell junctions during viral infection

Abstract

Cell junctions serve as a protective barrier for cells and provide an important channel for information transmission between cells and the surrounding environment. Viruses are parasites that invade and commandeer components of host cells in order to survive and replicate, and they have evolved various mechanisms to alter cell junctions to facilitate viral infection. In this review, we examined the current state of knowledge on the action of viruses on host cell junctions. The existing evidence suggests that targeting the molecules involved in the virus-cell junction interaction can prevent the spread of viral diseases.

Keywords: Adherens junction; gap junction; infection; tight junction; virus.

Figure 1

Different viruses invade host cells through specific cell junctions. Rotavirus and Hepatitis C virus disrupt the structure and function of tight junction. Human papilloma virus‐induced changes in the organization of adherens junction proteins. Human immunodeficiency virus spread damaged signals to the adjacent cells through gap junction.

Figure 2

HIV hijack gap junction to spread toxic factors and damaged signals to the adjacent uninfected cells. In pericytes, although HIV only infects a small number of cells, the damage is amplified by the spread of viral factors to adjacent uninfected cells via the gap junction channel. (The purple cell) HIV infected cell, (The green cells) Uninfected cell, (The yellow gap junctions) Normal gap junction, and (The purple gap junctions) HIV “Hijacked” gap junction.