Detection of SV40 T antigen with labelled antibodies: radioimmunoassay and autoradiography.

SV40 T antigen, partially purified from SV80, a human cell line, has been used to develop a sensitive solid phase radioimmunoassay. In this assay SV40 T antigen was immobilized on microtiter plates, reacted with hamster anti-SV40 T antibody and subsequently with 14C-labelled anti-hamster IgG. The test detected approximately 20 ng of partially purified SV40 T antigen and is rapid and more convenient than the complement fixing reaction. An immunoautoradiographic method which permits the determination of the cellular localization of SV40 T antigen and which is possibly more sensitive than the indirect immunofluorescence method is also described.