title: Immunohistochemistry of two glycolipid tissue antigens in human gastric carcinoma.
abstract: Immunohistochemical studies of two glycolipid tissue antigens were carried out to ascertain their distribution in normal as well as cancerous gastric mucosa. A trihexose ceramide (Kiyo antigen), a precursor of ABH blood group substances, is present in epithelial cell membrane and mucin of 90% (45 of 50) of noncancerous gastric mucosa. The distribution is similar to blood group substance; 10.7% (3 of 28) of gastric carcinoma that arose in Kiyo-positive gastric mucosa exhibited complete loss of the antigen, while carcinomas from Kiyo-negative gastric mucosa remained Kiyo negative. A fucopentaose ceramide (Lex), however, is absent from noncancerous gastric mucosa but present in varying quantity in 92.9% (52 of 56) of gastric carcinomas. The emergence of Lex as a tumor cell marker in the great majority of gastric carcinomas indicates its potential application in the diagnosis and assessment of tumor loads in gastric carcinoma patients.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006017:Glycolipids