Detection of cell-surface antigens of bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma

A serologic study was conducted to identify surface antigens on cultured cells of bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma. Sera from cattle with various stages of disease were tested for reactivity with surface antigens of cultured autologous and allogeneic cells. Radioiodine-labeled protein A assays were conducted to determine the presence of antibodies for tumor cells. It was found that all sera tested had antibodies at a high level to autologous cells, whereas the reactivity of allogeneic serum to cultured cells varied. Furthermore surface reactivity was not observed in these sera in tests for reactivity with normal epithelial cells. Reactive sera were analyzed by absorption tests with autologous and allogeneic cells. Absorbed sera showed no reactivity to surface antigens on autologous or allogeneic cells. Also, results of quantitative absorption studies indicated that absorption with precarcinoma cells eliminated the reactivity of sera from carcinoma- (cancer-) bearing animals toward cultured tumor cells. This indicates that there might be a shared antigen among the cells from precarcinoma and carcinoma lesions.