Measles morbillivirus antigen (MeV antigen)

Measles morbillivirus antigen refers to the structural and non-structural proteins of the measles virus (MeV), a highly contagious member of the Paramyxoviridae family (StatPearls, 2023). The primary antigenic targets for the immune system are the Hemagglutinin (H) and Fusion (F) glycoproteins, which are responsible for binding to host cell receptors such as CD150/SLAM and Nectin-4 and facilitating viral entry (UniProt, 2024). These surface antigens are the critical components of live-attenuated vaccines, which induce neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses to prevent infection (CDC, 2023). Beyond the surface proteins, the Nucleoprotein (N) is the most abundant viral protein and is frequently used as a biomarker in diagnostic assays (PubMed, 2022). The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein) is a key target for emerging antiviral drugs like ERDRP-0519, which aim to inhibit viral replication (Science Translational Medicine, 2014). Measles infection leads to a systemic disease characterized by fever, rash, and temporary but severe immunosuppression, which can result in secondary infections or rare, fatal neurological complications like subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (WHO, 2023). Current clinical management relies heavily on vaccination for prevention and high-dose Vitamin A to reduce morbidity and mortality in infected children (NIH, 2023).

Other names

Measles virus antigenMeV antigenRubeola virus antigenMeasles virus surface glycoproteinsMeasles virus protein

Vaccines induce neutralizing antibodies against H and F proteins to prevent viral entry; antivirals like ERDRP-0519 inhibit the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein) to block replication.