Immunoprecipitation of membrane proteins of cultured human sarcoma cells

Human sarcoma associated antigens (HSAA) have previously been identified by indirect immune fluorescence in human sarcoma cells in culture using sera from patients bearing different types of sarcoma. To further characterize these HSAA, surface proteins of cultured cells were labeled with 125Iodine, [3H]-glucosamine and [35S]-methionine and solubilized. After immunoprecipitation labeled proteins were detected in immune complexes by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography, which allowed comparison with antigens described by other groups. A surface protein (Mr 96 000) was precipitated with sera from sarcoma bearing patients, and two glycoproteins (Mr 115 000 and 85 000) were preferentially precipitated with antisera from rabbits immunized with membranes from two human sarcoma cell lines. At least two of these proteins were found in each of five human sarcoma cell lines studied (U-4SS, U-3930S, U-20S, B-5GT and B-6FS). None of the proteins were precipitated with three human control sera, and only occasionally a faint band was observed in immunoprecipitates from control cells (B-25F, B-41B, B-42FC, U-2S, and U-393S with the immune sera. These proteins are probably some of the antigens responsible for the immune fluorescence observed in determination of HSAA. However, purification of the proteins and competition experiments are needed before this can be finally established.