Demonstration of mouse mammary tumour virus (MuMTV) antigenicity in human milk by means of immunodiffusion technique.
Using the micro-Ouchterlony immunodiffusion technique, we were able to demonstrate mouse mammary tumour virus (MuMTV) antigenicity in the 1.26-1.28 g/ml density fraction prepared from pooled human milk samples after treatment with detergents and ether. The cross-reacting antigen(s) was precipitated by rabbit antisera to MuMTV-B particles prepared from murine milk and intracytoplasmic A particles (iAp) isolated from mouse mammary tumour tissue. By confluence of precipitin lines, the human milk "core" antigen(s) was shown to be identical with the main antigen(s) of iAp which are known to share antigenicity with the MuMTV-B particle cores. Electron microscopy of the human "core" fraction revealed abundant particulate structures of 40-70 nm in diameter. However, the structural entities bearing the cross-reactive antigen(s) remain to be identified.
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000276:immunology*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000956:Antigens, Viral