Surface antigens on cat leukemic cells induced by feline leukemia virus: area density and antibody-binding affinity

The binding of autologous bovine antibody to feline leukemia virus-induced cell surface antigens (FeCSA) on cat leukemia cells was studied by performing certain titration procedures with a mixture of immune and normal sera labeled with different iodine radioisotopes (paired-label technique). By using plots of titration data which conformed to linear equations derived from the mass action law, we determined the following constants. (i) The density of FeCSA was 2.03 x 10(6) sites per cell, or 5,230 sites per mum(2). (ii) The equilibrium constant of the FeCSA-antibody reaction was 2.67 x 10(7), from which the antibody binding affinity or standard free energy of the FeCSA-antibody bond was determined to be - 10.48 kcal (-43,869.28 J) per mol. The use of the techniques described to measure the concentration of antibody in antiserum, in micrograms per milliliter, is discussed.