Persistence of h-2 and some non-h-2 antigens on long-term-cultured mouse cell lines1-2

H-2 antisens of 2 cell lines maintained in tissue culture lor more than 1 year were analyzed. The following 2 lines were derived from pulmonary tumors: NCTC 3814 from strain A mice (H-2a/H-2a) and NCTC 3815 from strain BALB/c mice CH-2d/H-2d). The presence or absence of the H-2 antigens on the cells of these lines was tested by the indirect immunofluorescence method with monospecific anti-H-2 sera. The H-2 constitution of the 2 cell lines was as follows: NCTC 3814.-H, -2, +3,+4, +5, +6, -7, +8, -9, +11, +13, -16, -17, -19, -22, +23,+28, -30, -31, -32, -33; and NCTC 3815. 1, -2, +3, +4,-5, +6, -7, +8, -9, -11, +13, -16, -17, -19, -22, -23, +28,-30, +31, -32, -33. No difference was found in the constitution of H-2 antigens of the cell lines and the original mouse strains from which they were derived. Frozen cells, stored for several months in liquid nitrogen, could be used for H-2 typing by immunofluorescence test immediately after thawing. The results of such typing did not differ significantly from those with freshly harvested cells. The presence of non-H-2 antigens H-6.A, Ea-2, R, Z, TL-1,3, and Sip was tested in lines NCTC 3814, NCTC 3815, and L-M (of C3H/He origin). The only antigen present in cultured cells was antigen Z in L-M cells. The possibility of utilization of H-2 antigens for identification of cell lines in tissue culture and their potential as markers in studies of somatic cell variation are discussed.