Immunization against the polyoma virus-induced tumor-specific transplantation antigen by early region mutants of the virus.
To investigate the relation between the polyoma tumor-specific transplantation antigen and the virus-coded proteins, mice were immunized by inoculation of a variety of viable polyoma virus mutants and then challenged with polyoma virus-induced tumors. Two classes of early region mutants were used. One class produces a normal small T-antigen and truncated middle and large T-antigens. The second class (hr-t mutants) forms a normal large T-antigen together with N-terminal fragments of small and middle T-antigens. All mutants, transforming as well as nontransforming, induced protection against polyoma virus tumors. However, there were quantitive differences between the mutants. The finding that an hr-t mutant could induce tumor rejection suggests that full-length middle and small T-antigens are not necessary for the induction of this response. Since intact middle T-antigen is the only virus-coded protein known to associate with the plasma membrane, the possibility must be considered that the polyoma virus tumor-specific transplantation antigen consists of cellular components.
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006197:Hair; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor