Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41805587›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of general virology2026

Knockout of key receptors (PDGFRA and NRP2) in the guinea pig model blocks direct and endocytic pathways of CMV cell entry.

Yushu Qin, K Yeon Choi, Nadia El-Hamdi, Alistair McGregor

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of general virology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Yushu QinDepartment of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA.
K Yeon ChoiDepartment of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA.
Nadia El-HamdiDepartment of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA.
Alistair McGregorDepartment of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The guinea pig with guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) is the only small-animal model for congenital cytomegalovirus, a leading cause of cognitive impairment and hearing loss in newborns. GPCMV encodes human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) homologues of viral entry glycoprotein complexes, which are neutralizing-antibody vaccine targets. As with HCMV, GPCMV has two pathways of cell entry (direct and endocytic). Specific viral gH/gL-based complexes are necessary for receptor interaction and cell entry: gH/gL/gO trimer (direct) and pentamer complex (PC) (endocytic). Both pathways also require gB as the fusogenic protein. Direct GPCMV cell entry requires platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), but an endocytic PC receptor remains unknown. We hypothesized that cellular knockout of direct and endocytic receptors would completely block infection, which cannot be achieved by gB-based antibodies. Candidate receptors including neuropilin proteins (NRP1, NRP2) and CD147 present on all established guinea pig cell lines were selected based on importance as common virus receptors or in fetal development. Results demonstrated that NRP2 interacted with PC, unlike NRP1 or CD147, in immunoprecipitation assays and eliminated NRP1/NRP2 heterodimer receptor interaction. The viral trimer only interacted with PDGFRA. Double knockout of PDGFRA/NRP2 completely blocked GPCMV infection. In contrast, the CD147/PDGFRA double knockout had limited GPCMV inhibition, and the single knockout of CD147 had no impact. Knockout of the various receptors had no effect on control HSV-1 infection. Ectopic expression of guinea pig cell receptors restored GPCMV infection but not human NRP2/PDGFRA, indicating a basis for the species-specific barrier for GPCMV and HCMV infection. Overall, results increase the translational relevance of GPCMV for the development of CMV intervention strategies.

Indexed as

CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsEndocytosisNeuropilin-2Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alphaReceptors, VirusRoseolovirusVirus InternalizationAnimalsCell LineDisease Models, AnimalGene Knockout TechniquesGuinea PigsHumansViral Envelope ProteinsNeuropilin-2Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alphaReceptors, VirusViral Envelope Proteinscell receptorscongenital cytomegaloviruscytomegalovirusguinea pigNRP2pentamer complex

Identifiers

PMID41805587
PMCPMC12978165

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.