Expression of blood group-related carbohydrate antigens in normal human pancreatic tissue. APMIS 99: 931-940, 1991. The expression of type 1, 2 and 3 chain carbohydrate structures in 15 normal pancreata was investigated by immunohistochemical methods using well-defined monoclonal antibodies. Surgical biopsies of pancreata were obtained from kidney donors while the organs were still perfused. Type 1 chain structures were abundantly expressed including monosialylated(ms)-and disialylated(ds)-Led antigens, which have previously been associated with cancer. Type 2 chain structures were represented by H and Ley antigens and to a lesser extent by the precursor structure N-acetyllactosamine, whereas Le', dimeric Lex, and ms-Lex were only sporadically observed, in contrast to fetal pancreatic tissue, in which Le" has been found to be abundantly expressed. H chain 3 antigen was found in nearly all specimens, whereas precursor structures Tn, sial-Tn and T antigens were absent. Desialylation unmasked the T antigen in all specimens. Absenceimasking of Tn, T and related antigens is of special interest, since these antigens are associated with tumor development in other tissues, and may be of importance in pancreatic cancer diagnostics in the future.

The validity of using autologous leucocytes labelled with technetium -99m hexamethyl-propyleneamine-oxine (Tc-HMPAO) for scintigraphy in inflammatory bowel disease was evaluated in 12 patients with clinically active ulcerative colitis (UC) and 10 with Crohn's disease (CD). Colonoscopy and biopsy were used as reference. Scintigrams taken 1 h and 3 h after leucocyte reinjection were evaluated blindly by two independent observer groups. Full agreement was found in 11 of 12 UC patients when compared with colonoscopy but in only 3 of 10 CD patients. Segments with agreement in CD patients often showed neutrophilic granulocyte infiltration at biopsy. The judgements of clinicians and physiologists differed for only 2 of totally 70 UC segments but for 13 of 59 CD segments (kappa, 0.94 and 0.52). It is concluded that Tc-HMPAO scintigraphy might be an alternative to colonoscopy in the control of disease extent in UC. In CD patients the technique might warn about infections complications.

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