Application of Passive Hemagglutination Methods for Detection of Antibody to Viral Antigen in Hamsters Bearing Adenovirus Type 12 Tumors

Abstract

Summary Adenovirus type 12 (Huie) was grown in HeLa cell monolayers, concentrated by centrifugation in CsCl gradients and purified further by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The viral antigen, which eluted with 0.15 to 0.2 M NaCl, was coated on tanned sheep erythrocytes. These sensitized erythrocytes agglutinated with antiviral rabbit and guinea pig sera and with sera from hamsters bearing tumors induced by adenovirus 12. Synthesis of the antigen that sensitizes erythrocytes was prevented in HeLa cells by the presence of 10 µg of cytosine arabinoside per ml of medium. This substance did not affect synthesis of “T” antigens assayed by complement fixation methods. Hamster sera containing antibody to viral antigens as detected by passive hemagglutination methods were also positive using complement fixation methods. Approximately 50% of the hamsters bearing primary tumors and 25% of the hamsters bearing transplanted tumors synthesized antibody to viral antigens. Results obtained by complement fixation correlated well with those obtained by passive hemagglutination. Tumor and “T” antigen preparations did not react by passive hemagglutination.