Viral adhesion

Viral adhesion is the initial, essential step of the viral replication cycle, involving the specific binding of viral surface proteins to host cell receptors (StatPearls, 2023). This process determines viral tropism and is mediated by various molecular interactions, such as the binding of HIV-1 gp120 to the CD4 receptor or the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE2 (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2004). As the gateway to infection, viral adhesion is a primary target for antiviral therapy. Attachment inhibitors, such as Fostemsavir, specifically bind to viral glycoproteins to prevent this initial docking (NIH/PubChem, 2024). Other agents, like Maraviroc, target host co-receptors to block the transition from adhesion to fusion. Successfully inhibiting this stage prevents the viral genome from entering the host cell, effectively neutralizing the infection before it begins. Note: Viral adhesion is a biological process rather than a single molecular target; therapeutic agents typically target specific proteins involved in this process.

Other names

Viral attachmentViral adsorptionVirus-cell bindingViral entry mechanism

Inhibition of viral surface protein binding to host cell receptors or co-receptors to prevent cellular entry (StatPearls, 2023; PubMed, PMID: 32763218).