Antigenic similarity between simian virus 40-induced surface and fetal antigens in hamster

The tumor-associated cell-surface antigen (TSSA) on simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed hamster cells was studied serologically by a complement-dependent cytotoxicity test. An antiserum was obtained from guinea pigs inoculated with SV40-transformed hamster cells. The serum was cytotoxic to SV40-transformed hamster cells after absorption with 15-day hamster embryo cells, hamster cells transformed either by polyoma virus or adenovirus 12, various tissues of hamster origin (brainliver, spleen, and kidney), or sheep red blood cells. These results indicated that the major TSSA induced specifically by SV40 was similar or identical to the antigen present during early stages of embryogenesis.