Relation of human blood-groups MN to cancer cell surface antigens and to receptors for oncogenic viruses.

It has been shown by us that the human blood-group MN antigenic determinants are not the products of allelomorphic genes as believed so far, but that N is the precursor substance of M and that the allelomorph to the M gene is amorph. The determinant structure of the N antigen is branched and possesses as non-reducing termini beta-d-galactopyranosyl (Gal) and alpha-N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) linked to beta-Gal. The M substance differs from N only in that alpha-NANA covers the terminal beta-Gal of the N determinant. Vicia graminea anti-N reacts with terminal beta-Gal of the N antigen as well as its precursor. A human blood-group N-like antigen in the cell surface of the TA3 mammary adenocarcinoma (ascites form) has been found by us. The TA3 cancer occurs as the non-strain specific Ha subline and as the strain-specific St subline. This is the first description of an N-like antigen in a non-primate as well as a tumor. This antigen reacts with Vicia anti-N. In serological specificity the Vicia agglutinin is closely related to the Thomsen-Friedenreich anti-T agglutinin present in most human and animal sera. These sera plus complement kill ordinary TA3-St cells and sialidase-treated Ha cells to less than 95 percent. Untreated TA3-Ha cells are fully resistant even though they absorb cytotoxin. Beta-galactosidase treatment of either Ha or St cells abolishes the killing activity of the sera. The cancer cells absorb anti-T but they lose this capability after exposure to beta-galactosidase. An immunological cross-relationship between the human blood-group MN antigens and the receptor for an oncogenic virus, the avian subgroup B leukosis sarcoma virus has been observed.