alpha-Dystroglycan (alpha-DG) is a component of the dystroglycan complex, w
hich is involved in early development and morphogenesis and in the pathogen
esis of muscular dystrophies. Here, alpha-DG was shown to serve as a Schwan
n cell receptor for Mycobacterium leprae, the causative organism of leprosy
. Mycobacterium leprae specifically bound to alpha-DG only in the presence
of the G domain of the alpha 2 chain of laminin-2. Native alpha-DG competit
ively inhibited the lminin-2-mediated M. leprae binding to primary Schwann
cells. Thus, M. leprae may use Linkage between the extracellular matrix and
cytoskeleton through lminin-2 and alpha-DG for its interaction with Schwan
n cells.