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Failure to detect measles virus ribonucleic acid in bone cells from patients with Paget's disease
Brya G Matthews1, Muhammad A Afzal, Philip D Minor
1Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Background:
Paget's disease is a condition of focal accelerated bone turnover. Electron-microscopy investigations of osteoclasts from pagetic lesions have identified nuclear inclusion bodies that have a similar appearance to viral nucleocapsid particles. Subsequently, RNA from several paramyxoviruses has been detected in pagetic tissue, and it was suggested that these viruses, in particular measles, might play a role in the etiology of Paget's disease. We have tested for measles virus sequences in osteoblasts and bone marrow cells collected from pagetic lesions and healthy bone.
Methods:
Bone and bone marrow samples were taken from Paget's patients and control subjects, and cells were cultured from each of these tissues. RNA was extracted from 13 osteoblast cultures and 13 cultures of bone marrow cells derived from pagetic lesions, and from 26 and 23 control osteoblast and bone marrow cultures, respectively. These samples were sourced from 22 patients with Paget's disease and 31 controls. RT-PCR-nested PCR amplification was used for the detection of the genes for the measles nucleocapsid and matrix proteins.
Results:
Measles virus sequences were not detected in any of the pagetic or control samples. However, measles virus sequences were identified in samples of a measles virus culture isolate included as a positive control, and in a brain sample from a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a condition associated with chronic measles infection.
Conclusion:
The results of the study do not support the hypothesis that measles virus plays a role in the pathogenesis of Paget's disease.
Insights
This study investigated the potential link between measles virus and Paget's disease. Measles virus sequences were not found in Paget's disease bone cells, refuting the viral hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Bone Biology and Disease
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Paget's disease is characterized by accelerated bone turnover.
- Previous research suggested a potential role for paramyxoviruses, specifically measles virus, in Paget's disease etiology.
- Nuclear inclusion bodies resembling viral particles were observed in osteoclasts from pagetic lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of measles virus sequences in bone and bone marrow cells from patients with Paget's disease.
- To determine if measles virus plays a role in the pathogenesis of Paget's disease.
Main Methods:
- Bone and bone marrow samples were collected from Paget's patients and healthy controls.
- Osteoblast and bone marrow cells were cultured, and RNA was extracted.
- RT-PCR-nested PCR amplification was employed to detect measles virus nucleocapsid and matrix protein genes.
Main Results:
- Measles virus sequences were not detected in any bone or bone marrow samples from Paget's disease patients or controls.
- Measles virus sequences were successfully identified in a positive control measles virus isolate and a subacute sclerosing panencephalitis brain sample.
Conclusions:
- The study findings do not support the hypothesis that measles virus is involved in the pathogenesis of Paget's disease.
- The absence of measles virus in affected tissues suggests it is not an etiological agent for Paget's disease.
