Association of Sendai virion envelope and a mouse surface membrane polypeptide on newly infected cells: lack of association with H-2K/D or alteration of viral immunogenicity

The recognition and lysis of virus-infected mouse cells by cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) requires that both viral and H-2 antigens be present on the target cell membrane. One model that would explain this virus restriction postulates a CTL receptor that would recognize a new antigenic complex formed after some association of viral and H-2K/D or other host cell polypeptides on the target cell surface. To test for such associations, the authors synthesized a cross-linking reagent, N-succinimidyl 4-azidophenyl-1,3'-dithiopropionate (SADP). SADP-coupled Sendai virus was fused into the membranes of surface radioiodinated P815 cells followed by cross-linking of viral proteins to any neighboring cell surface proteins. The cellular neighbors were isolated and examined. None was found with the characteristic size and tryptic map of either the H-2K or D gene products. Sendai viral proteins in the membrane of newly infected cells do not appear to be in highly immunogenic complexes with either H-2K/D or any other cellular proteins.