TY - JOUR
T1 - Histo-blood group antigens in human fetal thymus and in thymomas
AU - Engel, P
AU - Dabelsteen, Erik
AU - Francis, D
AU - Graem, N
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - The glycosylation of epithelial cell surface antigens follows cellular differentiation, and changes in the pattern of expression are seen in various premalignant and malignant epithelial lesions. The distribution of type-2 chain ABH-carbohydrate structures (N-acetyl-lactosamine, H-type 2 chain, Le-y, Le-x and sialyl-Le-x) of the ABO-histo-blood group system was investigated in 19 normal fetal thymuses (gestational age 16 to 39 weeks) and in 19 thymomas in order to study possible tumor-associated changes in the glycosylation pattern. The material was investigated by immunochemical stainings of formalin-fixed paraffin-imbedded tissue using monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity. In fetal thymus the epithelial cells of the medulla and the Hassal's bodies strongly expressed elongated carbohydrate structures (Le-y, Le-x and sialyl-Le-x). In a few cases the cortical epithelial cells weakly expressed Le-x and sialyl-Le-x. Compared with fetal thymus 16 of the thymomas showed a total loss, or a very much reduced expression of elongated carbohydrate structures. Three thymomas, which histologically had been reclassified according to Kirchner & Müller-Hermelink (14) as high grade thymic carcinomas, revealed strong expression of Le-y, moderate expression of Le-x and weak expression of sialyl-Le-x. This is of interest as in other tumors Le-y is correlated with increased cell motility and with poor prognosis.
AB - The glycosylation of epithelial cell surface antigens follows cellular differentiation, and changes in the pattern of expression are seen in various premalignant and malignant epithelial lesions. The distribution of type-2 chain ABH-carbohydrate structures (N-acetyl-lactosamine, H-type 2 chain, Le-y, Le-x and sialyl-Le-x) of the ABO-histo-blood group system was investigated in 19 normal fetal thymuses (gestational age 16 to 39 weeks) and in 19 thymomas in order to study possible tumor-associated changes in the glycosylation pattern. The material was investigated by immunochemical stainings of formalin-fixed paraffin-imbedded tissue using monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity. In fetal thymus the epithelial cells of the medulla and the Hassal's bodies strongly expressed elongated carbohydrate structures (Le-y, Le-x and sialyl-Le-x). In a few cases the cortical epithelial cells weakly expressed Le-x and sialyl-Le-x. Compared with fetal thymus 16 of the thymomas showed a total loss, or a very much reduced expression of elongated carbohydrate structures. Three thymomas, which histologically had been reclassified according to Kirchner & Müller-Hermelink (14) as high grade thymic carcinomas, revealed strong expression of Le-y, moderate expression of Le-x and weak expression of sialyl-Le-x. This is of interest as in other tumors Le-y is correlated with increased cell motility and with poor prognosis.
KW - ABO Blood-Group System
KW - Blood Group Antigens
KW - Carbohydrate Metabolism
KW - Carbohydrate Sequence
KW - Glycosylation
KW - Humans
KW - Immunoenzyme Techniques
KW - Molecular Sequence Data
KW - Thymoma
KW - Thymus Gland
KW - Thymus Neoplasms
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 8980625
SN - 0903-4641
VL - 104
SP - 741
EP - 749
JO - APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
JF - APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
IS - 10
ER -