Expression of antigenic crossreactivity to RD114 p 30 protein in a human fibrosarcoma cell line.

An antigen crossreacting with the 30,000-molecular-weight protein (p30) of the feline endogenous oncornavirus (RD114) was detected in a well-characterized human fibrosarcoma cell line, HT1080, by indirect immunofluorescence. Three antisera against RD114 p30 gave similar positive results, while two antisera prepared against simian sarcoma virus p30, one antiserum prepared against murine leukemia virus p30, and one antiserum prepared against feline leukemia virus p30 gave no immunofluorescence. The reactivity observed with the antiserum against RD114 p30 was detected in 10-40% of the cells at early passages and was no longer expressed by the forty-first subculture. The reactivity could be removed by adsorption of the antiserum with RD114-infected dog or human cells, but not by uninfected cells or by cells infected with an antigenically unrelated oncornavirus, feline leukemia virus. Neither complete virus particles nor reverse transcriptase (RNA-dependent DNA nucleotidyltransferase) activity was detected in the culture. These experiments suggest that the fibrosarcoma cell line is expressing an antigen related to the p30 protein of RD114 baboon endogenous virus group of oncornaviruses without producing complete virions.