Expression of various tumor-specific antigens in polyoma virus-induced tumors.

I h e qu a n t i t ative expression of tumor-specific transplantation antigen, tumor-specific cell surface antigen, and T-antigen in polyoma virus-induced tumors was studied. A mouse polyoma virus-transformed cell line (4198) and its variant line (4198V) were both shown to possess polyoma tumor-specific transplantation antigen, but the variant line was more immunosensitive. The 4198V cells had 8.8 times more tumor-specific cell surface antigen as detected by the isotopic antiglobulin technique. More polyoma T-antigen was also found in the 4198V cells. A similar correlation of tumor antigen expression has been observed with SV4O-induced tumors.