title: Enzymatic synthesis of blood-group Lewis-specific glycolipids.
abstract: A blood-group Lewis precursor glycolipid was isolated from the plasma of a Lewis-negative individual [Le(a--b--)] and treated with fucosyltransferases from human gastric mucosa and GDP-fucose. Subsequently the glycolipid was adsorbed onto Le(a--b--) erythrocytes and the presence of blood-group Lewis antigens was assessed by passive hemagglutination with anti-Lewis sera. It was shown that the precursor glycolipid was enzymatically transformed to blood-group Lewis a (Lea) and Lewis b (Leb) specific glycolipids. Leb-glycolipid was also synthesized by fucosylation of an isolated Lea-glycolipid. Moreover Le(a--b--) erythrocytes were shown to develop Lea and Leb activities when subjected to enzymatic fucosylation, thus showing that Lewis-negative cells carry blood-group Lewis precursor glycolipid on the surface of their membrane. Le(a + b--) erthrocytes, upon enzymatic fucosylation, acquired Leb activity.
mesh_terms: D000939:Epitopes; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006154:Guanosine Diphosphate Fucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D006154:Guanosine Diphosphate Fucose; D006602:Hexosyltransferases