Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Viral infection

Identified receptors shed light on Epstein–Barr virus infection

Nature Microbiology (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

Epstein–Barr virus is associated with cancer and implicated in autoimmune diseases. Three studies reveal desmocollin 2 and R9AP as receptors for Epstein–Barr virus infection, highlighting new avenues for targeted therapies.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: DSC2 and R9AP are receptors that facilitate EBV membrane fusion and infection.

References

  1. Wong, Y., Meehan, M. T., Burrows, S. R., Doolan, D. L. & Miles, J. J. J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. 148, 31–46 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Robinson, W. H., Younis, S., Love, Z. Z., Steinman, L. & Lanz, T. V. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. 20, 729–740 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Möhl, B. S., Chen, J., Sathiyamoorthy, K., Jardetzky, T. S. & Longnecker, R. Mol. Cells 39, 286–291 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Bu, G.-L., Xie, C., Kang, Y.-F., Zeng, M.-S. & Sun, C. Viruses 14, 2372 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhang, H. et al. Nat. Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02067-8 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang, H. et al. Nat. Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02126-0 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Li, Y. et al. Nature 644, 205–213 (2025).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Borza, C. M. & Hutt-Fletcher, L. M. Nat. Med. 8, 594–599 (2002).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Singh, S. et al. Cell Rep. Med. 1, 100033 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wei, C.-J. et al. Sci. Transl Med. 14, eabf3685 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Malhi, H. et al. Cell Rep. Med. 3, 100658 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany

    Shanchuan Liu

  2. Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Shanchuan Liu & Alexander S. Hahn

Authors
  1. Shanchuan Liu
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alexander S. Hahn
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander S. Hahn.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

A.S.H. is an employee of GSK. The company had no role in the conception, writing or review of this article. S.L. declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, S., Hahn, A.S. Identified receptors shed light on Epstein–Barr virus infection. Nat Microbiol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02123-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02123-3

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Cancer

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Cancer newsletter — what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Cancer