A human thy-1-like antigen expressed on cultured leukemic T-cells.

A human cell membrane antigen that is highly T-cell specific among a number of leukocyte cell lines was isolated from cells of a human T-cell leukemia cell line, SKW-3. In addition to the high specificity to T-cell-type cell lines, the isolated antigen showed the following characteristics: (1) It is an acidic glycoprotein of approximately 30 000 daltons that has a charge heterogeneity and probably a disulfide bond(s); (2) Its antigenicity is stable when treated with heat, acid, and various protein denaturants; (3) It is widely distributed in lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues but is most predominant in brain. These features are similar, if not identical, to those reported for the Thy-1 antigen of mouse or rat and have raised the possibility that this cell membrane antigen may correspond to human "lymphocyte" Thy-1 antigen, the counterpart of human "brain" Thy-1 antigen.