Internalization of a major group human rhinovirus does not require cytoplasmic or transmembrane domains of ICAM-1.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (CD54), a cell adhesion molecule and the receptor for the major group of rhinoviruses, is a class 1 membrane protein with five Ig-like domains in its extracellular region, a transmembrane domain, and a short cytoplasmic domain. The amino-terminal domains (D1 and D2) are sufficient for virus binding and the first is most important (1). We have investigated whether other extracellular domains, transmembrane or cytoplasmic domains are required for virus entry as determined by postinfection virion protein biosynthesis. We demonstrate that cytoplasmic, transmembrane, and Ig-like domains 3, 4, and 5 are not essential for rhinovirus entry into transfected COS cells. The efficiency of rhinovirus infection directly correlates with the efficiency of rhinovirus binding and a form of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 that is glycophosphatidyl-inositol anchored, and thus does not extend into the inner leaflet of the membrane bilayer or the cytoplasm efficiently supports virus entry.