Differences between soluble complement-fixing antigens derived from P3HR-1, RAJI, and Hk-Ly-28 cell lines.

Soluble complement-fixing (CF) antigens of the virus-producing and virus-nonproducing P3HR-1 and RAJI Burkitt lymphoma cell lines and Hk-Ly-28 nasopharyngeal cancer cell line, identified by use of viral capsid antigen-positive human sera, could readily be distinguished by differences in their stability to chemical and physical conditions. The P3HR-1 soluble CF antigen lost titer when heated or exposed to acid perchlorate under conditions in which RAJI and Hk-Ly-28 soluble antigens were stable. Differences in solubility were also found. These results contribute not only to the interpretation of the relationship of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated components of RAJI to P3HR-1 and Hk-Ly-28 cell lysates but also to the selection of conditions for the development of identification tests and purification procedures for CF antigens and antibodies of Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, and other EBV-associated tumors.