Measles viruses on throat swabs from measles patients use signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (CDw150) but not CD46 as a cellular receptor

Both CD46 and signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) have been sh own to act as cellular receptors for measles virus (MV). The viruses on thr oat swabs from nine patients with measles in Japan were titrated on Vero ce lls stably expressing human SLAM. Samples from all but two patients produce d numerous plaques on SLAM-expressing Vero cells, whereas none produced any plaques on Vero cells endogenously expressing CD46. The Edmonston strain o f MV, which can use either CD46 or SLAM as a receptor, produced comparable titers on these two types of cells. The results strongly suggest that the v iruses in the bodies of measles patients use SLAM but probably not CD46 as a cellular receptor.