Association of mouse major histocompatibility and Rauscher murine leukaemia virus envelope glycoprotein antigens on leukaemia cells and their recognition by syngeneic virus-immune-cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.

Physical association was measured between MLV gp70, the envelope glycoprotein of Rauscher murine leukaemia virus (R-MLV), and serologically defined H-2 antigens on the surface of R-MLV transformed C57BL/6 (H-2DbKb) mouse leukaemia cells (RBL-5A). Capping and patching with antisera against H-2Db caused specific co-capping and co-patching of R-MLV gp70 antigens as seen by fluorescence microscopy. Despite the physical proximity of R-MLV gp70 and H-2Db antigens, high titre alphaR-MLV gp70 sera had no effect in blocking syngeneic T-lymphocyte mediated cytolysis of RBL-2A cells whereas alphaH-2Db sera were effective.