Surface antigens of mammalian sarcoma virus transformed nonproducer cells

In vitro, clonal BALB/3T3 mouse cells were transformed into nonproductive sarcoma cells by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus. The resulting cells are called K BALB. Similarly, the Kirsten sarcoma virus and woolly monkey sarcoma virus transformed normal rat embryonic kidney (NRK) cells to nonproductive sarcoma cells K NRK and W NRK, respectively. The presence of sarcoma cell surface antigen (SCSA) on these three different cell lines was examined by immunoelectron microscopy using the rabbit anti K BALB, anti K NRK, and anti W NRK sera preabsorbed with normal embryonic rat cells, NRK cells, and BALB/3T3 cells. Four different specific sarcoma cell surface antigens were demonstrated: SCSAa, an antigen specific to the surface of W NRK cells; SCSAb, a surface antigen common to K NRK and W NRK cells; SCSAc, a surface antigen common to K BALB and W NRK cells; and SCSAd, a surface antigen broadly reactive with the rabbit antisera to W NRK, K NRK, and K BALB.