The expression of Lewis fucosyltransferase (FT) mRNA was examined in gastric mucosa from two Lewis-positive [Le(+)] and two Lewis-negative [Le(-)] individuals. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that levels of mRNA were similar in both Le(+) and Le(-) gastric mucosa. We isolated the protein-coding region of the Lewis FT cDNA from Le(+) and Le(-) gastric mucosa by polymerase chain reaction (PCR...

Clinical resistance to the induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was observed in a closed colony of Lewis (designated Le-R) rats. Disease susceptibility in randomly bred animals appeared to increase with increasing age. In the small group of young Le-R rats, which were susceptible, disease onset was delayed, severity of symptoms was reduced, and duration of clinical signs was abb...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible association between Lewis phenotype status in pregnant women and preterm labor (PTL) or preterm rupture of the membranes (PROM). METHODS Red blood cell (RBC) Lewis phenotype was determined in 113 pregnant women admitted for PTL or PROM and in 121 controls. The results were controlled for the influence of race on Lewis phenotype....

The possibility that a rat alloantiserum DA anti-Lewis possesses similar recognition structures for Lewis transplantation antigens, as do DA immunocompetent cells, was investigated by raising an antiserum against this alloantiserum in (Lewis x DA)F(1) hosts. This antiserum, as well as one provoked by injecting DA lymphoid cells, was active against recognition structures for Lewis antigens of DA...

The Lewis blood group system comprises two main carbohydrate antigens, Le(a) and Le(b). Lewis typing has traditionally been based on serologic determinations using erythrocytes and saliva. Several recent studies have demonstrated that erythrocyte Lewis phenotype may change during pregnancy or disease, and inappropriate Lewis antigens have been found in both normal and neoplastic tissue. To eval...

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major component on the surface of Gram negative bacteria and is composed of lipid A-core and the O antigen polysaccharide. O polysaccharides of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori contain Lewis antigens, mimicking glycan structures produced by human cells. The interaction of Lewis antigens with human dendritic cells induces a modulation of the immune response,...

Blood group A, B, H, Le, Leb, Lex, and Ley antigenicity as well as the expression of CA 19-9 were examined in pancreatic cancer specimens from 30 patients, using monoclonal antibodies to the respective antigen and immunohistochemical techniques, and the findings were correlated with the blood group types (ABO and Lewis) of the individuals. Compatible antigen expression was found in 82, 75, and ...

The H genes, encoding an alpha1,2fucosyltransferase, which defines blood groups with the H structure, of four Bombay and 13 para-Bombay Japanese individuals were analyzed for mutations. Four Bombay individuals were homologous for the same null H allele, which is inactivated by a single nonsense mutation at position 695 from G to A (G695A), resulting in termination of H gene translation. The all...

BACKGROUND Several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognising Lewis(y), such as BR96, have reached the clinic but have failed to show good anti-tumour responses with an acceptable level of toxicity. No Lewis(b) mAbs have been trialled in patients. In this study we compare the specificity of three mAbs; BR96 (Lewis(y)), 2-25 LE (Lewis(b)) and 692/29 that recognises a unique facet of both Lewis(y) ...