Expression of Lewis X-related antigens in adenocarcinomas of lung.
Fifty primary lung adenocarcinomas were examined immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies to determine changes in the expression of N-acetyl-lactosamine (blood group type-2 chain), LeX, LeY and sialyl LeX-i. These antigens were expressed in 60%, 70%, 90% and 94% of carcinomas, respectively; in 8%, 12%, 56% and 86% of normal broncho-bronchiolar epithelium; and in 32%, 0%, 100% and 0% of normal alveolar epithelium. The greater the complexity of the antigenic structure, the greater the incidence of positive staining in the adenocarcinomas. Although the more complex antigens such as sialyl LeX-i and LeY have also been demonstrated in the sera of lung cancer patients, they were not always cancer-selective in our immunohistochemical study. In contrast, the less complex antigens such as N-acetyl-lactosamine (type-2 chain) and LeX seem to be cancer-selective, as they showed low positivity in normal lung tissue.
Shimizu
T
T
Second Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yonezawa
S
S
Tanaka
S
S
Sato
E
E
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016256:Lewis X Antigen