Mapping of the major histocompatibility complex and viral antigens on the plasma membrane of a measles virus-infected cell.

The two measles virus glycoproteins, the hemagglutinin and fusion protein, are expressed on the surfaces of infected cells. Although the two molecules are chemically distinct, they associate on the cell surface, judging from their ability to comigrate (co-cap). However, neither is directly complexed with the major histocompatibility (MHC) gene products, HLA-A, -B, -C or -D, on the plasma membrane, based on results from three distinct assays. First, in tests of capping, these viral glycoproteins failed to comigrate with any HLA determinant. Second, electron microscopy showed that the viral glycoproteins occupied domains on the plasma membrane distinct from MHC gene products; 125I labeling of cell surface determinants and subsequent analysis by immune precipitation and PAGE confirmed this result. Third, incubation of measles virus-infected cells in the presence of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to measles virus glycoproteins removed the viral glycoproteins from the cells' surfaces but did not cause a corresponding decrease in amounts of HLA molecules. These results indicate that the hemagglutinin and fusion polypeptides of measles virus lie in close association on the plasma membrane; however, neither is linked with MHC gene products.