Measles virus breaks through epithelial cell barriers to achieve transmission
Makoto Takeda
Makoto Takeda
Published June 20, 2008
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2008;118(7):2386-2389. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI36251.
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Commentary

Measles virus breaks through epithelial cell barriers to achieve transmission

Abstract

Measles is a highly contagious disease that causes immunosuppression in patients. Measles virus infection has been thought to begin in the respiratory epithelium and then spread to lymphoid tissue. In this issue of the JCI, Leonard et al. provide data to suggest an alternative model of measles virus pathogenesis (see the related article beginning on page 2448). In human primary epithelial cells and rhesus monkeys in vivo, the authors show that initial infection of respiratory epithelium is not necessary for the virus to enter the host but that viral entry into epithelial cells via interaction of the virus with a receptor located on the basolateral side of the epithelium is required for viral shedding into the airway and subsequent transmission.

Authors

Makoto Takeda

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Figure 2

The time course of MV infection and receptor usage.

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The time course of MV infection and receptor usage. (A) MV enters humans...
(A) MV enters humans through the respiratory route and initiates its infectious cycle in lymphoid organs in the upper respiratory tract by using SLAM as a receptor. (B) MV-infected lymphocytes enter the bloodstream, and MV propagates in lymphoid organs throughout the body. (C) MV-infected immune cells appear to transmit MV to epithelial cells in various organs (e.g., airway, intestine, bladder). A putative epithelial cell receptor appears to play an important role in MV infection of epithelial cells. (D) MV then replicates in epithelial cells and actively releases progeny viruses into the airway. Consequently, respiratory aerosols of patients contain large amounts of MV particles.