Microbial-like antigens in human leukemia

Antigens present in leukemic sera and organ extracts, but absent from non-leukemic sera and tissues, were detected by examining their reactions with anti-microbial antisera by means of counter-immunoelectrophoresis. Out of 110 different antisera used, 12 antisera, those produced against Micropolyspora, Coccidioides, Salmonella, Mycoplasma, Mycobacterium simiae, Absidia, pseudorabies virus and adenovirus, proved to react regularly with the leukemic sera. Absorption studies point to an immunological specificity of these cross-antigenicities. Interpretations and implications of these discoveries are discussed in the paper.