ASSOCIATION OF GLYCOLIPID PATTERN WITH ANTIGENIC ALTERATIONS IN MOUSE FIBROBLASTS TRANSFORMED BY MURINE SARCOMA-VIRUS

Abstract

The level of the neutral glycolipid, GalNAc.beta.1 .fwdarw. 4Gal.beta.1 .fwdarw. 4Glc .fwdarw. Cer (asialo GM2), in BALB/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts transformed by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus (3T3KiMSV) was greatly increased compared to the nontransformed parental cells (3T3). This elevated chemical quantity was localized on the surface of intact cells and accessible to external reagents, as detected by immunofluorescence and labeling with galactose oxidase:NaB3H4. Immunization of rabbits with 3T3KiMSV cells, but not with 3T3 cells, resulted in antibody production against asialo GM2. These results demonstrate the potential usefulness of glycolipids as tumor-associated cell surface markers.