title: Assessment of Lewis blood group antigens and secretor status in autopsy specimens.
abstract: The ability of enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect Lewis and H antigens in secretions obtained from 280 autopsies was assessed. The ELISA results were compared with those for matched blood specimens examined by agglutination of erythrocytes by monoclonal anti-Lewis(a) and anti-Lewis(b) antibodies. There was good agreement between the results for the two tests and the ELISAs could be used to determine secretor status of the subject. While determination of ABO group with monoclonal anti-A and anti-B was possible even with lysed blood, the results for Lewis typing by erythrocyte agglutination were poor if the sample was lysed or partially lysed. Detection of the antigens by ELISA was as efficient among elderly subjects as among younger ones and both H and Lewis antigens could be detected on erythrocytes and in secretions up to 127 h after death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busuttil
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Saadi
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010413:Penis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens