Purification and Analysis of Adenovirus Group-specific ‘T’ Antigen

The separation and identification of a group-specific ‘T’ antigen from cells infected with group A adenoviruses (types 12, 18 and 31), and a group-specific tumour antigen from tumours induced by the same types have been described (Hollinshead, Bunnag & Alford, 1967; Hollinshead et al. 1968). The ‘T’ or tumour antigen isolated for one type of adenovirus within the group reacts with sera from hamsters bearing tumours induced by group A adenoviruses. This soluble antigen (mol.wt = 25,000) induced in cells by adenovirus did not fix complement with antisera which we had prepared against purified adenovirus type 12 hexon, fibre, whole virus particles or core or ‘P’ antigens, the latter using methods described by Russell et al. (1967). The present report describes the results obtained during further purification and analysis of group-specific ‘T’ antigen, with careful testing of reactivity with antisera to hamster tumours at each step in the purification process.