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Previously published data suggest that the RGD-recognizing integrin, alphavbeta3, known as the vitronectin receptor, acts as a cellular receptor for RGD-containing enteroviruses, coxsackievirus A9 (CAV-9) and echovirus 9 (E-9), in several continuous cell lines as well as in primary human Langerhans' islets. As this receptor is also capable of binding the ligands by a non-RGD-dependent mechanism, we investigated whether vitronectin receptors, alpha v integrins, might act as receptors for other echoviruses that do not have the RGD motif. Blocking experiments with polyclonal anti-alphavbeta3 antibody showed that both primary human islets and a continuous laboratory cell line of green monkey kidney origin (GMK) are protected similarly from the adverse effects of several non-RGD-containing echovirus (E-7, -11, -25, -30, -32) infections. In contrast, corresponding studies on primary human endothelial cells showed that the receptor works only for E-25, E-30, E-32 and CAV-9. The inhibitory effect of the antibody was not restricted to prototype strains of echoviruses, as GMK cells infected with several field isolates of the corresponding serotypes were also protected from virus-induced cytopathic effects. Co-localization of virus particles with the receptor molecules in both GMK and primary human endothelial cells was demonstrated by live-cell stainings and confocal microscopy. Remarkably, in spite of similar virus-receptor co-localization and a comparable protective effect of the alphavbeta3 antibody, the entry pathways of the studied virus strains seemed to be divergent.

Transplantation, like all medical procedures, carries potential risks for both donors, recipients and health care personnel. Living donation and associated morbidity and mortality are documented in living donor registries which, run nationally, are a step toward long-term quality control in organ transplantation. Such quality control and management should however be a part of all stages of the transplantation process, beginning with donor identification and ending with long-term follow up of transplant recipients. A whole range of transplantation-related events would be controlled, including organ procurement, handling, risk of disease/malignancy transmission, recipient operation and follow up. Several international bodies and institutions have formulated statements addressing these issues. The essential ideas of these documents are focused on protection of human integrity, avoidance of bodily harm and coercion, exclusion of commercialism, equitable access to transplantation, fairness of allocation, transparency of the allocation criteria/procedures, competence requirements of the staff and quality management.