The expression of Marek's disease tumour-associated surface antigen in various avian species

Marek's disease tumour-associated surface antigen (MATSA) was detected on lymphoid cells from chickens infected with Marek's disease virus (MDV) or the herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT), from a chicken-quail hybrid infected with MDV, and from turkeys infected with the GA strain of MDV, but not on cells from turkeys infected with HVT or the HPRS-16 strain of MDV or from MDV-infected Japanese quails or bobwhite quails, despite the presence of lymphomas in some Japanese quails. Two complementary explanations are offered for these observations/Firstly, certain combinations of virus strain and host species may not result in malignant transformation although infection has occurred; secondly, if, as seems likely, MATSA is a modified host antigen, antigens on malignant cells arising in a foreign host may not be recognised by an antiserum prepared against MATSA of chicken origin.