Yan, Yuhe, Liu, Qingping, Wollenberg, Kurt et al. · Journal of virology · 2010 · DOI
This study examined how a protein called XPR1 on cell surfaces acts as a doorway for certain viruses, including XMRV (a virus found in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome). Researchers looked at how this protein varies across different mouse species and other mammals to understand why some animals can be infected by these viruses and others cannot. They identified genetic changes in the XPR1 protein that determine whether cells allow viruses to enter.
Understanding how XMRV interacts with human cell receptors is crucial for ME/CFS research, as XMRV has been detected in some patient populations. This mechanistic work on viral entry pathways could help explain infection susceptibility and inform therapeutic strategies targeting viral entry. Clarifying the specific receptor requirements of XMRV may also help resolve inconsistencies in XMRV detection and association studies.
This study does not prove that XMRV causes ME/CFS or that it is present in ME/CFS patients—it only characterizes how the virus uses the XPR1 receptor to enter cells. The work is conducted primarily in rodent and cell culture systems and does not directly demonstrate XMRV prevalence or pathogenic mechanisms in humans. Mechanistic receptor studies cannot establish causation of disease or definitively explain clinical associations.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Yan, Yuhe, Liu, Qingping, Wollenberg, Kurt, Martin, Carrie, Buckler-White, Alicia, & Kozak, Christine A (2010). Evolution of functional and sequence variants of the mammalian XPR1 receptor for mouse xenotropic gammaretroviruses and the human-derived retrovirus XMRV.. Journal of virology. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.01549-10
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-yan-2010-evolution-functional,
author = {Yan, Yuhe and Liu, Qingping and Wollenberg, Kurt and Martin, Carrie and Buckler-White, Alicia and Kozak, Christine A},
title = {Evolution of functional and sequence variants of the mammalian XPR1 receptor for mouse xenotropic gammaretroviruses and the human-derived retrovirus XMRV.},
journal = {Journal of virology},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1128/JVI.01549-10},
note = {PubMed: 20844050},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/yan-2010-evolution-functional},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/yan-2010-evolution-functional
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