Human antibodies reactive with purified envelope antigens of primate type C tumor viruses.

Human sera from healthy individuals have been shown to react with viral antigens in preparations of detergent-disrupted C type viruses from monkeys. In this report, it is demonstrated that (populations of) these human antibodies react with highly purified envelope glycoproteins of the simian sarcoma virus-simian sarcoma-associated virus complex and the Friend leukemia virus complex. Several immunological parameters influencing human antibody binding to C type tumor virus antigens have been characterized. These parameters indicate that human antibodies tend to bind to what is probably a subset of the antigenic determinants on the virus envelope antigens and that different human sera recognize the same antigenic determinants on the virus envelope antigens tested. The possible origin of these antibodies is discussed.