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Lewis antigen expression in benign and malignant tissues from RBC Le(a—b—) cancer patients
Author(s) -
Langkilde Niels C.,
Wolf Hans,
ØRntoft Torben F.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1991.tb08061.x
Subject(s) - saliva , antigen , fucosyltransferase , immunohistochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biology , pathology , medicine , gene , biochemistry
Eight red blood cell (RBC) Le(a—b—) individuals were selected from a series of patients with bladder or colon cancer. Defined by the presence or absence of α1‐4‐ l ‐fucosyltransferase activity in saliva, four of these patients were characterized as non‐genuine Lewis negative [RBC Le(a—b—) with α1‐4‐ l ‐fucosyltransferase activity in saliva], and four as genuine Lewis negative [RBC Le(a—b—) with no α1‐4‐ l ‐fucosyltransferase activity in saliva]. Stainings of paraffin embedded formalin fixed tissue sections for Le a and Le d antigens were performed by means of an indirect immunohistochemical method on all malignant and benign tissue previously removed from these eight patients. Le b antigens were always expressed independently of both the Lewis and the secretor status of the individual. Le a antigens, on the other hand, showed a different staining pattern. Although primarily expressed in non‐genuine Le(a—b—) individuals, Le a antigens were expressed in genuine Le(a—b—) individuals as well—to a limited extent, but still detectable. Thus, these findings seem to show that the Lewis antigen expression is tissue dependent, and it is not possible to predict tissue Lewis antigen expression by merely examining erythrocytes or saliva.