A virological view of tenascin-C in infection

Zuliani-Alvarez, Lorena; Piccinini, Anna Maria

Abstract

Tenascin-C is a large extracellular matrix glycoprotein with complex, not yet fully unveiled roles. Its context- and structure-dependent modus operandi renders tenascin-C a puzzling protein. Since its discovery ∼40 years ago, research into tenascin-C biology continues to reveal novel functions, the most recent of all being its immunomodulatory activity, especially its role in infection, which is just now beginning to emerge. Here, we explore the role of tenascin-C in the immune response to viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1. Recently, tenascin-C has emerged as a biomarker of disease severity during COVID-19 and other viral infections, and we highlight relevant RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses that suggest a correlation between tenascin-C levels and disease severity. Finally, we ask what the function of this protein during viral replication is and propose tenascin-C as an intercellular signal of inflammation shuttled to distal sites via exosomes, a player in the repair and remodeling of infected and damaged tissues during severe infectious disease, as well as a ligand for specific pathogens with distinct implications for the host.

Citation

Zuliani-Alvarez, L., & Piccinini, A. M. (2023). A virological view of tenascin-C in infection. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 324(1), C1-C9. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2022

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Nov 30, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Dec 2, 2022
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Dec 19, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 3, 2023
• Journal: American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology
• Print ISSN: 0363-6143
• Electronic ISSN: 1522-1563
• Publisher: American Physiological Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 324
• Issue: 1
• Pages: C1-C9
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2022
• Keywords: Cell Biology; Physiology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/14879746
• Publisher URL: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2022