Cell surface antigen phenotypes of MCF-induced thymic lymphomas in AKR mice.

The hypothesis that the surface antigen phenotypes of MCF-MuLV-induced thymic lymphomas in AKR mice are predictable and characteristic of the inducing virus has been tested. Thymic lymphomas induced by two different MCF-MuLV were assayed by flow microfluorometry for their expression of the surface antigens XenCSA, Thy-1.1, Ly-2, Ly-1, 2C2, H-2K, and Ia. In all cases there was an increase in XenCSA levels. The lymphomas could be divided into three categories on the basis of qualitative difference in Ly-2 expression: Ly-2+ tumors, Ly-2- tumors, and tumors with both Ly-2+ and Ly-2- populations. One lymphoma expressed 2C2, an antigen not normally found on thymocytes. Quantitative differences in expression could be found for all antigens. This variation in surface antigen phenotype was independent of the cloned virus MCF used to induce the lymphoma.