title: Lea blood group substance degradation in the human alimentary tract and urinary Lea in coeliac disease.
abstract: The Lewis (Lea) blood group substance in alimentary tract liquids is a large molecule. Ileal and jejunal mucosal preparations can act upon it to produce dialysable serologically active Lea. Alimentary tract bacteria cannot produce a similar effect. Plasma, serum and urinary Lea are principally in the form of a dialysable moiety. It is suggested that this dialysable form is produced by mucosal degradation of large-molecule Lea in the alimentary tract. The small-molecule Lea is absorbed, transported in the plasma and then excreted. Both secretor and non-secretor patients with duodenal ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease have normal urinary Lea titres. Non-secretor coeliac patients who have not regenerated normal jejunal mucosa on treatment have significantly reduced urinary Lea titres when compared with healthy individuals. One non-secretor coeliac patient who had regenerated a normal jejunal mucosa on treatment had a normal urinary Lea titre. Coeliac patients have normal titres of salivary Lea.
mesh_terms: D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens