Stable expression of the mouse lymphocyte T200 antigen in L-cells after transfection with lymphoma DNA.

L-cells, which normally do not express the mouse lymphocyte T200 antigen, were transfected with DNA from the mouse T-cell lymphoma, BW5147, and a T200+ L-cell line isolated. The detection and enrichment of T200+ L-cells from a pool of transfectants was accomplished using monoclonal anti-T200 antibody and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. A subclone has been selected that is stable for expression of T200. The T200 molecules expressed by BW5147 and the T200+ L-cell are similar in size, around 190 Kd, compared to the 220-Kd B-cell form of T200. The BW5147 T200 molecule is 3000 daltons larger than the molecule expressed by the transfected L-cell, a size difference due to glycosylation moieties, since treatment of the molecules with Endoglycosidase F or treatment of cells with tunicamycin yields T200 molecules of the same size from the 2 cell sources. In comparison, the B-cell form of T200 retains a size difference of 25,000 daltons from the T-cell form after these treatments. Monoclonal antibodies specific for the B-cell form of T200 do not recognize the T200+ L-cell, providing further evidence that the T-cell form of T200 is expressed by the transfected L-cell.