Correlation between tumor-specific surface antigens and src gene expression in Rous sarcoma virus-induced rat tumors

Immunization with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-induced mouse tumors or with SR-3Y1 or NY8-3Y1 rat fibroblasts transformed by a wild type RSV or an env gene deletion mutant of RSV induced complete transplantation resistance against an RSV-induced mouse tumor (CSA1M) in syngeneic hosts. On the other hand, 10 of 19 mice immunized with ts68-3Y1 rat fibroblasts transformed by an src gene temperature-sensitive mutant of RSV (permissive temperature: 33-35 degrees C) could not reject the CSA1M. SR-3Y1, NY8-3Y1 and RSV-induced mouse tumors expressed a common tumor-specific cell-surface antigen (TSSA) detected by a syngeneic rat antiserum against NY8-3Y1. In ts68-3Y1, expression of the TSSA was temperature-sensitive, TSSA being detected only when ts68-3Y1 was cultivated at the permissive temperature. Immunoprecipitation showed that serum from a rabbit bearing an RSV-induced tumor detected a 60-kdalton protein in cell extracts from SR-3Y1 and NY8-3Y1. Antiserum to NY8-3Y1 failed to detect this protein. These results suggest that the tumor-specific surface antigen(s) on RSV-induced mammalian tumors was coded for by an RSV src gene that was not identical with the simple form of the 60-kdalton protein identified.