Evidence for sialylated type 1 blood group chains on human erythrocyte membranes revealed by agglutination of neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes with Waldenström's macroglobulin IgMWOO and hybridoma antibody FC 10.2.

Haemagglutination studies have been performed with untreated and neuraminidase-treated human erythrocytes of the three Lewis antigen types Le(a-b-), Le(a+b-) and Le(a-b+) using two monoclonal antibodies, IgMWOO and FC 10.2, which were previously shown to recognize the type 1 based blood group chains: Gal beta 1----3GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc/GlcNAc (for explanation of abbreviations see table IV legend). Both antibodies behaved as cold agglutinins with neuraminidase-treated but not with untreated erythrocytes of the three Lewis antigen types. Neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes of i antigen type were similarly agglutinated. This haemagglutination was specifically inhibited by the type 1 based milk oligosaccharide lacto-N-tetraose. Thus, there is strong evidence for the occurrence of sialylated type 1 chains on human erythrocyte membranes of I and i antigen types. In addition, evidence for the presence of type 1 chains which are both sialylated and fucosylated was obtained by (1) haemagglutination of Le(a+b-) erythrocytes with the monoclonal antibody 19.9; (2) increased haemagglutination of neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes with anti-H antibodies of Bombay serum; (3) increased haemagglutination of neuraminidase-treated Le(a+b-) cells with anti-Lea antibodies, and (4) the appearance of Lea antigen activity on neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes of Le(a-b+) type.