Lymphocytotoxic definition of combined ABH and Lewis antigens and their transfer from sera to lymphocytes.

Analysis of lymphocytotoxic reactions with peripheral blood lymphocytes from 74 donors, typed for ABO, secretor, and Lewis phenotypes, identified clusters of reactions distinguishing six antigens resulting from the interactions of Lewis, secretor, and ABO systems: Lea, Leb, ALed, BLed, ALeb, and BLeb. In these experiments, Led on O lymphocytes and Lec were not detected as expected from the experience of other authors with A antigen, B and Leb were detected only on the lymphocytes of ABH secretors, demonstrating that all the ABH antigens of lymphocytes are controlled by the secretor system as are the ABH antigens in external secretions. The ABH and Lewis antigens identified on lymphocytes could be transferred in vitro to lymphocytes, cultured for 2 to 7 days at 37 degrees C in the serum of donors of selected ABO, Lewis, and secretor phenotypes, confirming that ABH and Lewis antigens are not synthesized by lymphocytes but are acquired from circulation as are the Lewis antigens on erythrocytes. As expected, the HLA antigens of lymphocytes were not modified after culture.