B cell expression of endogenous retroviral envelope antigen: biochemical and immunofluorescence characterization.

Plasma cells of line 15I5 chickens have been shown to express antigen that is cross-reactive with endogenous retroviral envelope glycoprotein. In the present study, we isolated this antigen and showed that it is structurally homologous to envelope glycoprotein. As assayed by immunofluorescence, most, if not all, of the plasma cell-associated envelope glycoprotein is present on the cell surface although it is not bound to surface Ig or Ia antigen. Although envelope antigen was not detectable by immunofluorescence on the surface of 15I5 bursal cells or peripheral B lymphocytes, immunochemical assays established that retroviral envelope glycoprotein is present on the surface of the bursal cells but at much lower levels than on the surface of the plasma cells. Both bursal and plasma cells synthesize envelope glycoprotein. These findings indicate that an increased level of expression of endogenous retroviral envelope glycoprotein is a concomitant of the differentiation of B lymphocytes to plasma cells in 15I5 chickens.