Human blood group isoantigen expression on normal and malignant gastric epithelium studied with anti-A and anti-B monoclonal antibodies.

Variation in human blood group isoantigen expression on normal and malignant gastric epithelium was demonstrated with monoclonal antibodies to blood groups A and B in an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. The expected isoantigen expression was demonstrated on endoscopic biopsy specimens of normal gastric mucosa from 11 patients. Of 17 patients with gastric carcinoma (blood group A, 15; blood group AB, 2), complete loss of isoantigen expression was noted in 6 (35%). In these 6 patients, blood group isoantigen remained both in the adjacent uninvolved mucosa and at the margin of resection. The loss of isoantigen did not appear to be related to the degree of differentiation within the tumor, to the secretor status of the patient, or to the blood subgroup. Lymph node metastases reflected the isoantigen status of the primary tumor, being positive in 5 of 6 expression in all 17 patients or in an additional 15 patients studied with blood group O. These findings were discussed in the light of previously reported work on the localization of blood group isoantigens on malignant and nonmalignant gastric epithelium with the use of conventional antisera and a variety of immunohistologic techniques.