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Nature and complexity of the FMR antigenic system
Author(s) -
Bismuth Alain,
Kremsdorf Dina,
Debré Patrice,
Levy Jean Paul
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830090812
Subject(s) - antigen , antiserum , biology , virology , glycoprotein , lymphoma , virus , antibody , neoplasm , microbiology and biotechnology , epitope , immunology , genetics
Abstract The FMR antigen is currently defined as a cell surface antigen shared by Moloney, Rauscher, Friend and Graffi virus‐induced leukemias. Different groups have reported contradictory results showing an association of FMR either with various internal or external virion components or with a nonvirion protein. A study of twelve supposed anti‐FMR antisera using complement‐dependent cytotoxicity assays, and quantitative absorption of their activity on different lymphoma cells show that there exists an “FMR system” rather than an FMR antigen. Several antigenic specificities can be defined which are either common to all the leukemia tested (FMRGi) or limited to the lymphomas induced by certain viruses. In the latter group, at least F, FR, and MRGi antigens can be distinguished. These “FMR antigens” are frequently associated at the lymphoma cell surface with non‐FMR specificities. The so‐called anti‐FMR antisera show a variable specificity pattern generally revealing some but not all of the FMR antigens. Many of them do not contain anti‐FMRGi antibodies. On the contrary, they can react against non‐FMR antigens. Cocapping experiments reveal a comigration of the common FMRGi antigen and the major viral glycoprotein, gp69/71. Absorption of anti‐FMRGi activity by both Rauscher or Moloney virions and by purified Rauscher gp69/71 confirm this result suggesting that FMRGi could be a subgroup specificity of the gp69/71 of exogenous type C viruses. The nature of the other FMR specificity was not studied here. The complexicity of the FMR system probably explains the contradictory results which have been published concerning the nature of FMR antigens. It is probable that several antigens have been studied by different groups under the same name. Very precise technical conditions must be used for the analysis of the FMR system if such confusion is to be avoided in the future.