TIM-1 SERVES AS A NONREDUNDANT RECEPTOR FOR EBOLA VIRUS, ENHANCING VIREMIA AND PATHOGENESIS

Background. T cell immunoglobulin mucin domain-1 (TIM-1) is a phosphatidylserine (PS) receptor, mediating filovirus entry into cells through interactions with PS on virions. TIM-1 expression has been implicated in Ebola virus (EBOV) pathogenesis; however, it remains unclear whether this is due to TIM-1 serving as a filovirus receptor in vivo or, as others have suggested, TIM-1 induces a cytokine storm elicited by T cell/virion interactions. Here, we use a BSL2 model virus that expresses EBOV glycoprotein and demonstrate the importance of TIM-1 as a virus receptor late during in vivo infection. Methodology/Principal findings. We used an infectious, recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing EBOV glycoprotein (EBOV GP/rVSV) to assess the role of TIM-1 during in vivo infection. TIM-1-sufficient or TIM-1-deficient BALB/c interferon α/β receptor-/- mice were challenged with EBOV GP/rVSV-GFP or G/rVSV-GFP. While G/rVSV caused profound morbidity and mortality in both mouse strains, TIM-1-deficient mice had significantly better survival than TIM-1-expressing mice following EBOV GP/rVSV challenge. EBOV GP/rVSV load in spleen was high and unaffected by expression of TIM-1. However, infectious virus in serum, liver, kidney and adre...Continue Reading