Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) are composed of unbranched, negatively charged heparan sulfate (HS) polysaccharides attached to a variety of cell surface or extracellular matrix proteins. Widely expressed, they mediate many biological activities, including angiogenesis, blood coagulation, developmental processes, and cell homeostasis. HSPG are highly sulfated and broadly used by a range of pathogens, especially viruses, to attach to the cell surface.
Keywords: viral attachment receptor, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, HSPG, syndecans, glypicans, viral adaptation, intra-host adaptation, tropism, broad-spectrum antivirals, viral binding.