MINI REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Virology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1702637
Advances in molecular regulation and function of LDLR family in viral infection
Provisionally accepted
- Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
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The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family represents a crucial interface between cellular cholesterol homeostasis and viral pathogenesis. This review systematically examines the dual roles of these receptors in viral infections, encompassing both their well-established function as entry receptors for various viruses and their emerging role as regulators of viral replication through lipid metabolic pathways. The LDLR family mediates exogenous cholesterol uptake that supports viral proliferation while simultaneously suppressing endogenous cholesterol synthesis. This suppression triggers endoplasmic reticulum cholesterol depletion, which activates the STING-TBK1 signaling axis, thereby establishing a potent antiviral state. These opposing mechanisms reveal the complex involvement of the LDLR family in viral infections. This article aims to synthesize current understanding of these processes and explore the translational potential of targeting the LDLR-lipid-virus axis for developing novel antiviral strategies, while acknowledging the challenges in selectively modulating these dual functions for therapeutic purposes.
Keywords: LDLR, Virus infection, receptor, Lipid, pcsk9
Received: 10 Sep 2025; Accepted: 20 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yao, Gong, Lu, Liu and Ding. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Liqiong Ding, dinglq2021@163.com
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