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Fan X, Li W, Oros J, Plante JA, Mitchell BM, Plung JS, Basu H, Nagappan-Chettiar S, Boeckers JM, Tjang LV, Mann CJ, Brusic V, Buck TK, Varnum H, Yang P, Malcolm LM, Choi SY, de Souza WM, Chiu IM, Umemori H, Weaver SC, Plante KS, Abraham J. Molecular basis for shifted receptor recognition by an encephalitic arbovirus. Cell 2025; 188:2957-2973.e28. [PMID: 40187345 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2025] [Accepted: 03/14/2025] [Indexed: 04/07/2025]
Abstract
Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) is an arbovirus that historically caused large outbreaks of encephalitis throughout the Americas. WEEV binds protocadherin 10 (PCDH10) as a receptor, and highly virulent ancestral WEEV strains also bind low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-related proteins. As WEEV declined as a human pathogen in North America over the past century, isolates have lost the ability to bind mammalian receptors while still recognizing avian receptors. To explain shifts in receptor dependencies and assess the risk of WEEV re-emergence, we determined cryoelectron microscopy structures of WEEV bound to human PCDH10, avian PCDH10, and human very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR). We show that one to three E2 glycoprotein substitutions are sufficient for a nonpathogenic strain to regain the ability to bind mammalian receptors. A soluble VLDLR fragment protects mice from lethal challenge by a virulent ancestral WEEV strain. Because WEEV recently re-emerged in South America after decades of inactivity, our findings have important implications for outbreak preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Fan
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wanyu Li
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Oros
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica A Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Brooke M Mitchell
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jesse S Plung
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Himanish Basu
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sivapratha Nagappan-Chettiar
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua M Boeckers
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laurentia V Tjang
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Colin J Mann
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vesna Brusic
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tierra K Buck
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Haley Varnum
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pan Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Linzy M Malcolm
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - So Yoen Choi
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William M de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Isaac M Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hisashi Umemori
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott C Weaver
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth S Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan Abraham
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Integrated Solutions for Infectious Diseases, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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