Lewis Blood Group Antigens Research Articles

Lewis blood group antigens in urine sediments from patients with urinary bladder carcinoma.

Urine sediments from 20 patients with urinary bladder carcinoma, and from 11 healthy individuals were investigated for their content of Lea and Leb active glycolipids. The investigation was restricted to blood group phenotype Le (a-b+). All individuals exhibited both Lea- and Leb-active glycolipids. In healthy individuals the ratio Lea/Leb was less than 1 in 10 out of 11 cases, whereas in patients with bladder cancer the ratio Lea/Leb was greater than 1 in 11 out of 20 cases. No correlation between the Lea/Leb ratio on the one hand and tumour grade or stage on the other hand could be shown. The results indicate one possible explanation for the loss of ABH antigens in bladder cancer and also demonstrate the potential of detailed biochemical investigations on exfoliated material in urine.

Expression of Lewis blood group antigens in cancerous and non-cancerous liver.

The expression of Lewis blood group antigens, Lewisa, Lewisb, Lewisx and Lewisy, in 40 non-cancerous livers and in 20 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), 5 cholangiocarcinomas (CC), and 6 combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinomas (Comb) was studied by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies. Although normal hepatocytes did not express any of the four Lewis antigens, Lewisy expression was detected in some hepatocytes at the periphery of pseudolobules in cirrhotic liver. While Lewisx in bile duct epithelial cells was undetectable in normal livers, it was detected in some cases with non-cancerous liver diseases. Lewisx and Lewisy were detected in 30% of HCC and 100% of CC and Comb. Non-cancerous bile duct epithelial cells in almost all instances were stained strongly by anti-Lewisa and/or anti-Lewisb antibody. Proliferating bile ductules within Glisson's sheath and pseudolobules could be clearly detected by Lewisa and Lewisb staining. Lewisa and Lewisb were never detected in non-cancerous hepatocytes, and were only rarely detected in HCC, but were expressed in most cases of CC and Comb. These results suggested that Lewisa and Lewisb are useful markers for differentiation towards biliary epithelial cells in the liver, and that Lewisx and Lewisy expression might be associated with states of increased or altered cell proliferation.

Comparison of Monoclonal Antisera with Conventional Antisera for Lewis Blood Group Antigen Determination

Comparison of Monoclonal Antisera with Conventional Antisera for Lewis Blood Group Antigen Determination

Lewis blood group antigens defined by monoclonal anti-colon carcinoma antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies directed against human cancer cells were prepared by the murine hybridoma technique. These antibodies detect Lewis blood group antigens as determined by indirect solid-phase radioimmunoassay, hapten inhibition studies, and chromatogram binding assay. One monoclonal antibody is specific for the Le a terminal carbohydrate of Galβ1 → 3Glc NAc(4 ← 1α Fuc)β1 → 3LacCer. Five monoclonal antibodies react with the Le b terminal carbohydrate sequence of Fucα1 → 2Galβ1 → 3GlcNAc(4 ← 1αFuc)β1 → 3LacCer, and four of these antibodies are highly specific for this glycolipid and do not react with other similar di- and monofucosylated glycolipids. One of the anti-Le b antibodies cross-reacts with blood group H glycolipid and has binding properties similar to those of the previously described antibody NS-10-17 [ M. Brockhaus, J. L. Magnani, M. Blaszczyk, Z. Steplewski, H. Koprowski, K.-A. Karlsson, G. Larson, and V. Ginsburg (1981), J. Biol. Chem., 256, 13223–13225]. Two antibodies react with both the Le a and Le b antigens, though both bind preferentially to Le b.

Blood group lewis phenotype on erythrocytes and in saliva in alcoholic pancreatitis and chronic liver disease.

The distributions of ABO, rhesus, and Lewis blood group antigens were studied in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis, chronic active hepatitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. There were no differences in frequencies of ABO and rhesus blood group antigens between the groups or in comparison with a control group of blood donors. Lewis phenotype Le (a- b-), however, was more common on erythrocytes than in saliva in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis, and severe renal disease but equally common in saliva and on red blood cells in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease. It is suggested that Lewis typing should be performed on saliva because blood typing may give misleading results in some patients.

Correlation of humoral immunity to Lewis blood group antigens with renal transplant rejection.

Recent studies suggest that the Lewis blood group antigens are important for human renal transplantation. A possible mechanism by which Lewis blood group incompatibility could influence allograft rejection was investigated by measuring Lewis antibodies in sera from renal transplant recipients and appropriate controls using conventional hemagglutination and a sensitive and specific kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (k-ELISA). The two methods yielded identical results with 14 positive control sera known to contain Lewis antibodies and with 43 sera from negative controls. Antibody was not detected in 16 Lewis-positive transplant patients. However, antibody was detected by k-ELISA in 4/11 Lewis-negative transplant candidates and in 8/8 Lewis-negative recipients of Lewis-incompatible grafts. All 8 grafts were rejected. The one Lewis-negative recipient of a Lewis-negative graft did not develop Lewis antibody nor reject his graft. Of the 12 renal patients in whom antibody was detected by k-ELISA, in only 4 was antibody also demonstrable by hemagglutination. These results indicate that hemagglutination may not be sensitive enough for antibody detection and that Lewis antibodies may play a role in renal allograft rejection.

Cell surface antigens of human bladder cancer defined by mouse monoclonal antibodies.

Mouse monoclonal antibodies were obtained by immunization with cultured human bladder cancer or lysates of bladder papilloma. They identify 11 distinct antigenic systems as defined by serological analysis of cultured cells and studies of antigen distribution in normal and neoplastic tissues. The most restricted of these antigens, Om5, defines a subset of bladder tumors. Om5 is not detected in normal bladder urothelium or in any other normal or malignant tissue. T101 and JP165 are also subset markers for bladder cancer that are not detected in normal tissues. T16, T43, T87, and J143 (antigens represented on many cultured cells) are found in specific areas of the normal urinary tract and in a distinctive range of other normal and malignant cell types--e.g., T16 expression in pluristratified epithelium of skin, exocervix, and esophagus. T138 antigen is also a common feature of cultured cell lines, but its expression in sections of normal tissues is restricted to endothelial cells. In contrast, T110 is poorly represented on cultured cells but can be detected in culture supernatants. Localization of T110 in normal tissues showed that it is a component of the extracellular matrix. All determinants detected by this series of antibodies are heat labile and not related to A, B, H, I, Lewis blood group antigens. Six of the antibodies immunoprecipitated glycoproteins from radiolabeled cell lysates: AbT16 (Mrs 48,000 and 42,000), AbT87 (Mr 60,000), AbT43 (Mr 85,000), AbJ143 (Mr 140,000, 120,000, 60,000), AbT43 (Mr 85,000), AbJ143 (Mr 140,000, 120,000, and 30,000), and AbT110 (Mr 240,000).

Biosynthesis of A, H, and Lewis Blood Group Determinants in Fasciola hepatica

Classical methods usually applied in human blood group enzyme assays allowed the detection in Fasciola hepatica of 3-alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl-transferase, 2 and 4 alpha-L-fucosyltransferases that correspond to A, H, and Lewis human blood group gene-specified enzymes. Their presence indicates the ability of F. hepatica to synthesize A, H, and Lewis blood group antigens that were recently observed in the liver fluke. The biological significance of the data is discussed in terms of host-parasite relationships.

Glycosphingolipids with Lewis blood group activity: uptake by human erythrocytes.

The Lewis blood group antigens of the human erythrocyte are acquired from plasma and not synthesized in situ. Although assumed previously to be glycoproteins, tile Lewis antigens in plasma are glycosphingolipids Which are taken up by the the erythrocyte membrane from lipoproteins or from aqueous dispersions.