title: Altered expression of ABO (H) carbohydrate antigens is seen in pleomorphic adenomas.
abstract: Cell surface carbohydrate antigens show changes in relation to differentiation, maturation and malignant transformation. The expression of type 2 chain ABH carbohydrate structures of the ABO histo-blood group system was investigated in 28 pleomorphic adenomas (PA) and normal parotid glands in order to study possible changes in the glycosylation pattern. The distribution of carbohydrate structures was investigated by immunohistological stainings of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with well-defined specificity. A strong interindividual variation was found in the normal tissue as well as in the tumors. In normal tissue, acinus and duct cells all expressed elongated carbohydrate structures. The yoepithelial cells did not stain with any of the MAbs investigated. In the PAs, staining was seen in the ductular structures and myoepithelial cells. In contrast to normal tissue, the tumors expressed the short precursor molecule sialylated N-acetyllactosamine. Furthermore, the PAs showed loss of H and A antigens, and a reduced expression of Le(y) compared to normal tissue. The ductular structures as well as the modified myoepithelial cells expressed binary N-acetyllactosamine, which in the normal tissue could only be found in the striated and excretory ducts. Thus our study has shown that aberrant glycosylation is not only a feature of malignant neoplasms but also occurs in pleomorphic adenomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Therkildsen
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mandel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barfoed
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dabelsteen
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000032:analysis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000606:Amino Sugars; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000939:Epitopes; D007519:Isoantigens; C000458:N-acetyllactosamine