Inhibition of clathrin-dependent endocytosis has multiple effects on human rhinovirus serotype 2 cell entry.

Minor group human rhinoviruses (exemplified by human rhinovirus serotype 2 (HRV2)) use members of the low density lipoprotein receptor family for cell entry; all these receptors possess clathrin-coated pit localization signals. Viral infection should thus be inhibited under conditions of impaired clathrin-mediated endocytosis. However, Madshus et al. reported an increase in the cytopathic effect of HRV2 infection in HEp-2 cells upon suppression of clathrin-dependent endocytosis by hypotonic shock and potassium depletion (Madshus, I. H., Sandvig, K., Olsnes, S., and van Deurs, B. (1987) J. Cell. Physiol. 131, 14-22.) To resolve this apparent contradiction, we investigated the binding, internalization, conformational changes, and productive uncoating of HRV2 in HeLa cells subjected to hypotonic shock and potassium depletion. This treatment led to an increase in HRV2 binding, with internalization being barely affected. The generation of C-antigenic particles requiring pH </=5.6 was strongly reduced due to an elevation of the pH in endosomal compartments. However, K(+) depletion only slightly affected de novo viral protein synthesis, suggesting that productivity of viral RNA in the cytoplasm is enhanced and thus compensates for the reduction in C-antigenic particles. The distinct steps in the entry pathway of HRV2 are thus differently influenced by potassium depletion. Viral internalization under conditions of inhibited clathrin-dependent endocytosis without the need to disturb the ionic milieu was confirmed in HeLa cells overexpressing the nonfunctional dynamin-1 mutant K44A. Unexpectedly, overexpression of dynamin-1 K44A resulted in elevated endosomal pH compared with overexpression of wild-type dynamin.