Paramyxovirus antigens in osteoclasts from Paget's bone tissue detected by monoclonal antibodies.

The fluorescent antibody technique using both monoclonal and specific polyclonal virus antibodies was applied to investigate the nature of the inclusions seen in the abnormal osteoclasts associated with Paget's bone disease. The results show that antigens of measles virus, simian virus 5 (SV5) and human parainfluenza virus type 3 (PF3) could be detected in the osteoclasts but not in control bone cells. Measles and SV5 nucleoprotein (NP) and haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) antigens were apparently present in all the cases of Paget's disease examined, whereas PF3 NP and HN antigens were present only in some of the cases. These investigations suggest that paramyxoviruses may play a role in the aetiology of the bone disease.