Further characterization of the adenovirus erythrocyte receptor-modifying factor.

Agglutinability of human erythrocytes for 3 hemagglutinating adenoviruses was markedly reduced by pretreatment of red cells with a factor present in tissue cultures which had been infected with adenovirus types 1, 2,4, or 15. The factor responsible for erythrocyte receptor modification was non-dialyzable and unaffected by the action of ribonuclease, desoxyribonuclease, trypsin, chymotrypsin, or ether. The factor was smaller, more thermostable, and separable from the infectious virus. Erythrocyte receptor modification was found to be a function of time and temperature. Titers of erythrocyte receptor-modifying activity were not diminished by successive exposures to fresh erythrocytes. Erythrocytes treated with erythrocyte receptor-modifying factor suspensions failed to significantly adsorb test virus hemagglutinin. Inhibition of erythrocyte receptor modifying-activity of the adenovirus suspensions by rabbit antiserum was type-specific.