IgM Antibody to a Tumor-Associated Antigen (AG-4) Induced by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2: Its Use in Location of the Antigen in Infected Cells

Extract

Rate-zonal centrifugation was used to separate 7S and 19S Ig's from sera of patients with cervical cancer and of controls. The Ig's were assayed for their ability to recognize AG-4, a tumor-associated antigen, and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) by various serologic assays including neutralization, immunofluorescence, and complement fixation. These studies indicated that antibody to AG-4 is a macroglobulin; antibodyfixing complement with HSV-2 is a 7S Ig. The results of various serologic assays did not show absolute correlation; various tests preferentially identified some antigen-antibody reactions. We obtained evidence that AG-4 is in the cytoplasm and is probably on the cell surface.