Demonstration of Intranuclear T-Antigen by Antisera to Purified Adenovirus 7 1

Abstract

Summary

Adenovirus type 7 was purified by density gradient centrifugation, dialyzed against 0.01 M Tris buffer (pH 8.3), and allowed to stand for 3 weeks at 4°. These conditions are known to result in large numbers of disrupted virions. Immunization of hamsters with this preparation produced antisera that reacted both with the surface antigens of the virion and with the T-antigen. Primary hamster kidney cells were infected with adenovirus type 7 at a multiplicity of 100 PFU/cell and intranuclear T-antigen was detected in a proportion of cells which rose to a maximum of about 10% at 48 hr and then declined. Two possibilities to explain the production of antibodies to the T-antigen by hamsters immunized with purified virus are discussed: the internal antigen which is released by the aging of adenovirus in buffer may stimulate antibodies that react with the T-antigen or the T-antigen could be produced in vivo with consequent antibody production. Either mechanism may be involved in the inhibition of tumor formation by virus induced tumor cells that is observed in previously immunized animals.