Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections

Harboring four transmembrane domains in their structural hallmark, Tetraspanins (Tspans) are a family of glycoproteins with pivotal functions in a variety of biological and cellular processes. Through interacting laterally with each other or specific membrane proteins, Tspans organize tetraspanin-en...

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Main Authors: Yuzhi Zhang, Chengwei Pan, Sijie Wang, Yidan Zhou, Jiawei Chen, Xiaoyu Yu, Ruining Peng, Nu Zhang, Hui Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Virulence
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21505594.2025.2474188
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author Yuzhi Zhang
Chengwei Pan
Sijie Wang
Yidan Zhou
Jiawei Chen
Xiaoyu Yu
Ruining Peng
Nu Zhang
Hui Yang
author_facet Yuzhi Zhang
Chengwei Pan
Sijie Wang
Yidan Zhou
Jiawei Chen
Xiaoyu Yu
Ruining Peng
Nu Zhang
Hui Yang
author_sort Yuzhi Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Harboring four transmembrane domains in their structural hallmark, Tetraspanins (Tspans) are a family of glycoproteins with pivotal functions in a variety of biological and cellular processes. Through interacting laterally with each other or specific membrane proteins, Tspans organize tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs), modulating cellular signaling, adhesion, fusion, and proliferation. An abundance of evidence has identified the multiple functions in the progression of cancer as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. Recently, plenty of studies have focused on the utilities of Tspans by pathogens for infection, especially the infection of viruses. The expression of Tspans correlates with the phase of viral infection, the type of virus, and targeted therapies. In particular, perturbations of Tspans in host cells can affect viral attachment, intracellular trafficking, translation, virus assembly, and release. In this review, we summarize and provide a historical overview of the discovery and characterization of various kinds of virus infection and highlight their diversity and complexity, along with the virus life cycle. Furthermore, we examined the current understanding of how various Tspans are involved in the regulatory mechanisms underlying viral infection. This review aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the targeting of Tspans for therapeutic intervention in infections caused by diverse pathogens.
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spelling doaj-art-be59d0eb9a504cae938cbc3f1bb43e522025-08-20T03:48:02ZengTaylor & Francis GroupVirulence2150-55942150-56082025-12-0116110.1080/21505594.2025.2474188Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infectionsYuzhi Zhang0Chengwei Pan1Sijie Wang2Yidan Zhou3Jiawei Chen4Xiaoyu Yu5Ruining Peng6Nu Zhang7Hui Yang8School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaHarboring four transmembrane domains in their structural hallmark, Tetraspanins (Tspans) are a family of glycoproteins with pivotal functions in a variety of biological and cellular processes. Through interacting laterally with each other or specific membrane proteins, Tspans organize tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs), modulating cellular signaling, adhesion, fusion, and proliferation. An abundance of evidence has identified the multiple functions in the progression of cancer as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. Recently, plenty of studies have focused on the utilities of Tspans by pathogens for infection, especially the infection of viruses. The expression of Tspans correlates with the phase of viral infection, the type of virus, and targeted therapies. In particular, perturbations of Tspans in host cells can affect viral attachment, intracellular trafficking, translation, virus assembly, and release. In this review, we summarize and provide a historical overview of the discovery and characterization of various kinds of virus infection and highlight their diversity and complexity, along with the virus life cycle. Furthermore, we examined the current understanding of how various Tspans are involved in the regulatory mechanisms underlying viral infection. This review aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the targeting of Tspans for therapeutic intervention in infections caused by diverse pathogens.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21505594.2025.2474188Tetraspaninsvirus infectiontargeted therapyregulatory mechanism
spellingShingle Yuzhi Zhang
Chengwei Pan
Sijie Wang
Yidan Zhou
Jiawei Chen
Xiaoyu Yu
Ruining Peng
Nu Zhang
Hui Yang
Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
Virulence
Tetraspanins
virus infection
targeted therapy
regulatory mechanism
title Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
title_full Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
title_fullStr Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
title_full_unstemmed Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
title_short Distinctive function of Tetraspanins: Implication in viral infections
title_sort distinctive function of tetraspanins implication in viral infections
topic Tetraspanins
virus infection
targeted therapy
regulatory mechanism
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21505594.2025.2474188
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