Isolation of a tumor-associated transplantation antigen (TATA) from an SV40-induced sarcoma. Resemblance to the TATA of chemically induced neoplasms.

A tumor rejection antigen (TATA), obtained from the cytosol of a BALB/c mKSA sarcoma induced by SV40 virus, has been partially purified. This partially purified antigen is strikingly immunogenic against mKSA, providing more than 90% inhibition of growth at levels of 10-30 micrograms. This antigen preparation does not protect against challenge with another SV40-induced BALB/c sarcoma VLM which, however, shares a group-specific TATA with mKSA. The antigen also does not immunize against challenge with the methylcholanthrene-induced sarcomas of BALB/c mice, Meth A, CI-4, CII-7 and CII-10, each of which has its own unique TATA. Binding assays, using ELISA, failed to detect any SV40 antigen in the antigen preparation despite the fact that the large T antigen of SV40 (or fragments of it) constitutes the immunodominant TATA of mKSA.