VZV gpI

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is one of eight herpesviruses known to infect humans. VZV infections are species-specific to humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella), a disease most commonly affecting children, teens and young adults and herpes zoster (shingles) in older adults; shingles is rare in children. VZV is known by many names, including chickenpox virus, varicella virus, zoster virus, and human herpesvirus type 3 (HHV-3). Envelope glycoprotein that binds to the potential host cell entry receptor IDE. In epithelial cells, the heterodimer gE/gI is required for the cell-to-cell spread of the virus, by sorting nascent virions to cell junctions. Once the virus reaches the cell junctions, virus particles can spread to adjacent cells extremely rapidly through interactions with cellular receptors that accumulate at these junctions. Implicated in basolateral spread in polarized cells. In neuronal cells, gE/gI is essential for the anterograde spread of the infection throughout the host nervous system. Together with US9, the heterodimer gE/gI is involved in the sorting and transport of viral structural components toward axon tips. The heterodimer gE/gI serves as a receptor for the Fc part of host IgG. Dissociation of gE/gI from IgG occurs at acidic pH. May thus be involved in anti-VZV antibodies bipolar bridging, followed by intracellular endocytosis and degradation, thereby interfering with host IgG-mediated immune responses.