Viral entry receptors on tumor cells

Viral entry receptors on tumor cells refer to a diverse group of surface proteins that are often overexpressed on malignant cells and serve as the primary attachment or entry points for oncolytic viruses. Common examples include the Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), CD46, CD155 (poliovirus receptor), and various nectins or integrins. In healthy tissues, these molecules typically mediate cell-cell adhesion, signaling, or immune regulation, but their upregulation in cancer provides a therapeutic window for viral-mediated oncolysis. Oncolytic immunotherapy leverages these receptors to deliver viral payloads that selectively replicate in and destroy cancer cells, subsequently releasing tumor-associated antigens to stimulate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. Because this term describes a functional category of multiple distinct proteins rather than a single molecular entity, it is generally classified as a target class or a collective group in pharmacological databases.

Other names

Oncolytic virus receptorsTumor-associated viral entry pointsViral docking sites on cancer cells

Oncolytic viruses exploit these receptors to selectively infect, replicate within, and lyse tumor cells while sparing normal tissue.