BLV receptor activity in plasma membranes from tumorous lymph nodes of BLV-infected cows

Plasma membranes of cells from lymph nodes of bovine leukaemia virus (BLV)-free cattle and of cells from tumorous lymph nodes of BLV-infected cattle have been investigated for their reactivity with iodine labelled BLV antigens gp51 and p24. It has been found that only the plasma membranes from cells of tumorous lymph nodes bound gp51 and p24. The binding could be abolished by addition of nonlabelled antigens. It has been calculated from Scatchard plot analysis that 10(5) molecules of gp51 or 10(4) molecules of p24 can be bound per tumour cell. The findings led to the conclusion that tumour cells of BLV-infected cattle are endowed with receptors for the BLV antigens gp51 and p24.