Integrin β3 α2,6-sialylation by the sialyltransferase ST6Gal1 promotes human cytomegalovirus entry into fibroblasts.

α2,6-sialylation of Integrin β3 by ST6Gal1 is essential for human cytomegalovirus entry into fibroblasts, with absence reducing viral internalization by impairing receptor interactions.

• Why it matters: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of HCMV entry can reveal targets for therapeutic intervention, addressing gaps in knowledge about virus-host cell interactions during early infection stages.
• What they did: The study used knockout and knockdown cell models, along with PCR, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence, to show that α2,6-sialylation of Integrin β3 is required for viral internalization and signaling pathway activation.
• The result: Defective α2,6-sialylation impairs viral receptor interactions and signaling, suggesting ST6Gal1 and Integrin β3 sialylation as promising glycobiological targets for antiviral strategies.