Integrin a5b1-Mediated Adenovirus Infection Is Enhanced by the Integrin-Activating Antibody TS2/16

Adenovirus internalization generally has been accepted to involve an interaction of the adenoviral penton base protein with avb3 and avb5 cell surface integrins. In this study we show that exposure of a panel of melanoma cells to the b1-activating antibody TS2/16 rendered such cells more susceptible to adenovirus infection. This increase in adenoviral infectivity paralleled effects on cell adhesion, and both these characteristics were mediated, in part, by the a5b1 integrin. These observations suggest that a5b1 may act as an alternative adenovirus receptor and that integrin-activating strategies may improve the efficacy of recombinant adenoviruses as vectors for gene therapy.