title: Localization of adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigens by the immunocolloidal gold method.
abstract: Adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigen (ATLA) and adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV) antigens were localized in the MT-2 cell system by the immunocolloidal gold method using 71 human sera having various anti-ATLA titers and rabbit anti-ATLV antisera. In the thin-section method with anti-ATLA-positive human sera and rabbit antisera, protein A-gold particles were preferentially observed on and around sectioned adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) virions located in pericellular aggregates and within the cytoplasmic vacuoles but nowhere else in a significant number. The number of gold particles per ATL virion was statistically well correlated with the anti-ATLA titers of human sera applied (p less than 0.005). The preembedding method showed that pericellular ATL virions were specifically tagged with protein A-gold, but the antigens in question were not expressed on the plasma membrane of MT-2 cells. The absence of ATLA and ATLV antigens on the plasma membrane constitutes a unique pathobiological feature of ATL and ATLV as compared with other retrovirus systems.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003102:Colloids; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D003102:Colloids; D007106:Immune Sera; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C028388:thymus-leukemia antigens; D006046:Gold