Mucosal epithelial cells are a major barrier restricting pathogen entry and, paradoxically, an important entry port for respiratory and enteric viruses. Elegant studies in this issue of Cell Host & Microbe describe how coxsackievirus B3 (related to human poliovirus) infects polarized epithelial cells by engaging two transmembrane proteins of the tight junctions, occludin and CAR. A distinctive endocytic mechanism opens the junctions and gates infectious virus entry.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Greber et al. (2007) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: