Viral attachment

Viral attachment is the initial stage of the viral life cycle, characterized by the specific binding of a viral surface protein (ligand) to a complementary host cell surface component, such as a receptor or attachment factor (NCBI, 2021). This process is a critical determinant of viral host range and tissue tropism, as the presence or absence of specific receptors dictates which cells a virus can infect (StatPearls, 2023). In drug discovery, viral attachment is a major therapeutic focus, with attachment inhibitors designed to block these interactions and prevent the virus from entering the host cell (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2004). Examples of targets within this process include the HIV-1 gp120 protein and the human CD4 receptor (PubMed, 2018). Because this term describes a multi-step biological process involving various distinct proteins depending on the virus, it is classified as a mechanism of action or a biological pathway rather than a single molecular target (UniProt, 2023).

Other names

Viral adsorptionViral bindingVirus-cell attachmentViral entry (attachment phase)

Inhibition of the interaction between viral surface glycoproteins (e.g., HIV gp120 or SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein) and host cell surface receptors (e.g., CD4, CCR5, or ACE2) to prevent the initiation of the viral life cycle.