Common antigens of Herpex simplex virus 2, associated hamster tumors, and human cervical cancer

Detection of circulating tumour-associated antigens in serum of women with cervical neoplasia. Use of rabbit antiserum to a continuous cancer cell line (C-4111)

Hyperimmune rabbit sera to partially purified human cervical cancer tissue antigen (CaCxTAA) and to human cervical cancer culture cell line antigens (C-4II-TAA) were used to demonstrate circulating tumour-associated antigens (C-TAA) in the sera of women with cervical neoplasia. Rabbit anti-CaCx serum detected C-TAA in 80% of the 60 sera from women with invasive cancer, cancer in situ and severe dysplasia and the rabbit anti-C-4II serum detected 67% of these cases. Negative reactions were obtained in over 95% of the 154 control sera with either rabbit serum. These results suggest that, in view of the difficulty of obtaining large specimens of cervical cancer tissues for the development of immunodiagnostic procedures, the use of a cervical cancer cell line, such as C-4II, appears desirable. Such cell lines would also be advantageous for studies aimed at providing further support for the association between genital herpes simplex virus infection and human cervical cancer.

Elution of herpes simplex virus-specific cytotoxic antibodies from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix

There is evidence that carcinoma of the cervix uteri is associated with infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and although indirect evidence suggests an aetiological relationship, this remains controversial. One facet of the problem is that complement-dependent cytotoxic antibodies is HSV-2-infected cells have been undetectable or found only in low titre in sera from patients with progressive cervical cancer whereas higher titres have been found where cervical lesions are less advanced. Indeed, cytotoxic antibody titres have been found to rise during the follow-up period after successful treatment. Absorption of these antibodies by the tumour cells has been proposed as a possible reason for low HSV-2 cytolytic reactivity in patients with progressing cervical cancer. This explanation assumes the presence of HSV-2-specific antigen(s) on the tumour cells. We now provide support ffor this assumption with evidence that absorbed HSV-2-specific antibodies can be eluted from cervical cancer tissue.

Temporal regulation of herpes simplex virus type 2 transcription and characterization of virus immediate early mRNA's

Nuclear and cytoplasmic virus RNAs, synthesized in cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 at early and late times post-infection, and in the continuous presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (immediate early), have been analyzed by blot hybridization to virus DNA fragments generated by Bam HI and Eco RI restriction endonucleases. Polyadenylated immediate early mRNAs were separated on denaturing gels containing CH3HgOH giving three virus-specific mRNA bands of estimated sizes 4.7, 3.4 and 1.75 kb, and these have been mapped to five discrete regions of the genome. The polypeptides produced by in vitro translation of the HSV-2 immediate early mRNA's have been identified. Orientations of immediate early mRNA's on the virus genome have been determined by mapping cDNAs complementary to the 3'termini of the mRNAs.