IMMUNOHISTOLOGIC DETECTION OF ANTIGEN RELATED TO PRIMATE TYPE-C RETROVIRUS-P30 IN NORMAL HUMAN PLACENTAS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 112  (3) , 347-356
Abstract
This study reports the immunohistologic detection of simian sarcoma-associated virus/gibbon ape lymphoma virus (SSAV/GaLV) type C retrovirus p30-related antigen in unfixed cryostat sections of normal human term placentas by the indirect immunofluorescence method. Goat anti-SSAV p28 serum reacted specifically with 10 of 10 anatomic specimens of human placenta. Goat anti-GaLV p29 serum reacted similarly with 8 of 10 specimens. Goat anti-BaEV [anti-baboon endogenous virus] p28, anti-RD-114 p28, anti-FeLV [anti-feline leukemia virus] p27, anti-R-muLV [anti-Rauscher murine leukemia virus] p30 and anti-MPMV [anti-Mason-Pfizer monkey virus] p27 gave no specific reaction with placenta. The anti-SSAV p28 and anti-GaLV p29 reactive antigen was located in the placenta mainly at the basal aspect of syncytiotrophoblast near the underlying trophoblastic basement membrane where type C retrovirus-like particles have been found by EM. The specific antibody activity of anti-SSAV p28 serum against placenta was removed by critical absorption with disrupted SSAV or GaLV but not RD-114 or MuLV. These results suggest the presence in human placenta of a putative type C retroviral protein which crossreacts with the p30 protein of the SSAV/GaLV type C retrovirus group.