The relationship of membrane antigens on 141 (NZB) and EL4 (C57BL) lymphoma cells as demonstrated by antibody-induced resistance to complement-mediated cytotoxicity.

We have studied the ability of various antisera to induce resistance to complement-dependent lysis (CdL) (lysostripping) of surface antigens of B and T lymphoma cells. Alloantisera, xenoantisera, as well as anti-Rauscher-leukemia virus (RLV) antisera, were used. Whereas all antisera could induce resistance to CdL mediated by the same serum that served for lysostripping (autolysostrip), only some of the tested antisera could induce resistance to CdL by other antisera (co-lysostrip). In some combinations co-lysostrip was unidirectional, i.e., in a pair of antisera, one induced autolysostrip as well as co-lysostrip, whereas the other antiserum induced autolysostrip only. In other combinations co-lysostrip was reciprocal. These investigations do not support the possibility that viral components and alloantigenic determinants are associated on mouse lymphoma cells.