Autoimmunity induced by injection of virus-modified cell membrane antigens in syngeneic mice.

C3H/Bi mice developed autoantibodies after repeated inoculations of isolated membranes from primary tissue cultures of a syngeneic ascites lymphoma in which Newcastle disease virus had grown. This was in addition to the tumor transplantation resistance and cytotoxic antibodies previously demonstrated. The complement-fixing antibodies were completely removed from sera by adsorption with ascites tumor cells but only partially by normal mouse liver powder or C3H/Bi erythrocytes. With continued immunization, antibodies to deoxynucleoprotein and heterophile reagins also appeared. After several months, mice showing these serological reactions died with a wasting disease characterized by loss of lymphoid tissue and scarred, atrophied kidneys. No significant antibody response or autoimmune disease occurred in mice receiving membranes from uninfected syngeneic ascites lymphoma.