Antigen mimicry involving measles virus hemagglutinin and human respiratory syncytial virus nucleoprotein

Intergenic antigenic relationships between measles virus and respiratory syncytial (RS) virus-specific structural components were studied by using monoclonal antibodies. Of 75 monoclonal antibodies against these components, only one, an anti-measles virus hemagglutinin monoclonal antibody, cross-reacted. Immunofluorescence analysis of measles virus- and RS virus-infected cells with this monoclonal antibody showed qualitatively different staining patterns which indicated that the antigen involved in cross-reaction was the RS virus nucleoprotein or phosphoprotein. A radioimmunoprecipitation assay showed the antigen to be the nucleoprotein.