Independent expression of common and private tumor-specific cell surface antigens in somatic cell hybrids between Rous sarcoma virus-transformed and normal cells.

Somatic cell hybrids were prepared by fusion of a Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-induced mouse tumor (CSA1M cl-11) with a Chinese hamster embryo lung fibroblast line (Wg3h X AGr X Ouar). Some hybrid clones showed rapid anchorage-independent growth and intracellular production of RSV-pp60src. Other hybrid clones showed slow anchorage-dependent growth and no production of such a protein. The former expressed both a common tumor-specific cell surface antigen(s) (TSSA) shared with other RSV-induced tumors and a private TSSA not shared with any other tumors; however, the latter lost the common TSSA and expressed only the private TSSA. These results suggest that the common and private TSSA on CSA1M cl-11 cells are independent genetic traits and only the common TSSA is coordinated with other expressions of the RSV src gene phenotype.