Expression of Hanganutziu-Deicher antigen in activated human T lymphocytes

Hanganutziu-Deicher (HD) antigen is a heterophile antigen that is widely distributed in many animals other than humans and chickens and is highly immunogenic in humans and chickens. In the present study, we demonstrated expression of HD-antigenic glycoproteins in activated T lymphocytes by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Treatment with IL-2 plus PMA induced 29kD glycoprotein antigen detected under reducing condition. It contained sialic acid epitope of HD antigen because of the expression being neuraminidase-sensitive. Treatment with PMA plus A 23187 or PHA treatment and then PHA plus IL-2 treatment also induced two proteins of Mr 50kD and 70kD. These expressions were not detected in all individuals examined. These results indicate that HD antigen is an activated T cell antigen and expressed as an isoantigen as it is expressed in cancerous tissues from some patients.