Investigation of the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and blood group A antigen in 110 human gliomas.
The presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and blood group A antigen was studied immunohistochemically in a series of 110 malignant gliomas using monoclonal antibodies. Fifty-seven percent of the tumours strongly expressed EGF-R on the malignant cells. Although blood group A antigen is present on EGF-R of A431 cells (a cell line derived from a human epidermoid carcinoma), in gliomas it was found only on vascular endothelial cells of tumours from blood group A patients. The results suggest that the EGF-R present in gliomas differs from that in A431 cells in the type or amount of the carbohydrate chains. This is in contrast to previous reports which have suggested that A antigen is present on EGF-R in gliomas. This has relevance in the choice of monoclonal antibodies used to study the EGF-R, as those directed against the A antigen component of the A431 cell EGF-R will not recognize EGF-R elsewhere and may cause normal blood group A antigen to be mistaken for EGF-R.
Department of Neuropathology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.
N R
NR
Jones
M L
ML
Rossi
M
M
Gregoriou
J T
JT
Hughes
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005910:Glioma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000941:Antigens; D066246:ErbB Receptors