Moloney leukemia virus-induced cell surface antigen: detection and characterization in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels

An experimental procedure for detecting and characterizing tumor-associated, virion, and histocompatibility antigens has been developed. The method takes advantage of the high resolution that proteins, solubilized by Triton X-100 and reduced, display after sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The antigens can be detected as distinct molecular weight species by a highly sensitive inhibition of cytotoxic reaction. When coupled to the lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination of intact cells, the procedure permits the determination of externally exposed antigens. In the present study, the method has been applied to the Moloney leukemia virus-induced YAC lymphoma cells of strain A mice, which express a Moloney leukemia virus-determined cell surface antigen (MCSA) in addition to the type C viral proteins gp71, p30, p15, p15(E), p12, and p10. MCSA was identified as an exposed surface protein distinct in size and antigenic determinants from the major envelope and core protein of Moloney leukemia virus and the histocompatibility antigens. Multiple molecular weight species possessing antigenic determinants for MCSA, gp71, and H-2(a) have been detected. These results provide direct confirmation that MCSA is unrelated to the known virion structural proteins or to the H-2(a) antigen. This method should permit the direct identification and molecular weight characterization of any antigen whose determinants are not solely dependent on a complex quaternary structure and for which serological reagents are available.