Antigens of Tumours Induced by Naturally Occurring Murine Sarcoma Virus (MSV-FBJ): II. Detection of Cell-Surface Antigens by Indirect Membrane Immunofluorescence

Cell surface antigens expressed by cells transformed in vivo by FBJ virus, a wild type murine sarcoma virus (MSV) complex derived from a spontaneously arising sarcoma in a CF1 mouse, have been studied by indirect membrane immunofluorescence (MIF). Using mouse antisera raised by immunization of syngeneic CBA mice with transplanted FBJ sarcomata an antigen common to all FBJ tumours was detected which was also present on Gross (G) antigen positive tissues, viz. leukaemic and preleukaemic AKR lymphoid cells, but absent from the tissues of mice of G negative strains. Failure to demonstrate antigenic cross-reactivity in reciprocal MIF tests using FBJ immune sera and antisera to MSV-H (Harvey), an MSV isolate of Friend-Moloney-Rauscher (FMR) sub-group specificity, established the virus type-specificity of antigens expressed by sarcoma cells transformed by the respective MSV. The presence of a cellular antigen with G specificity on FBJ sarcoma cells was confirmed in tests with aged exbreeding C57B1 antisera containing naturally occurring G antibody lacking significant virus neutralizing activity. However, evidence for a “sarcoma-non-leukaemia” antigen on cells transformed by MSV-FBJ was not obtained since absorption studies failed to reveal any specificity on FBJ sarcoma cells which was not also present on AKR leukaemic tissues. It is suggested that the major humoral component of the immune response to FBJ sarcoma cells is evoked against antigens specified by the associated non-pathogenic leukaemia virus (MLV-FBJ) and the relationship of antigens demonstrated by MIF to those detected previously by complement fixation (CF) and tumour rejection tests is discussed.