Expression of blood group H antigen by normal, benign, and carcinoma cells of the oral epithelium: Immunohistochemical study using monoclonal antibody RS13

Immunohistochemical localization of Leu‐M1 carbohydrate antigen in human oral squamous cell carcinoma

“…The expression of Leu-M, antigen has been investigated in a number of non-hematopoietic human solid tumors. In epithelially-derived malignancies, such as thyroid gland papillary carcinomas (12), subclasses of pulmonary carcinomas and mesotheliomas (13)(14)(15), carcinomas of urinary bladder (16)(17), gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine carcinomas (18)(19), and breast carcinomas (20), the antigen was found de novo expressed or increased with malignant changes, whereas melanomas and the majority of mesenchymal sarcomas were reportedly negative (21), Common expression of antigen was suggestive of common functions such as cell migration and cell to matrix interactions (22)(23), Alternatively, common expression was attributed to the particular nature of carbohydrate antigen (3), Lcu-M, antigen shares structural similarities with blood group H2 substance, eg, a Fuc 1,2, Gaipi, 4GlcNApi, 3Gaipi, 3GalNAc-R (22), Despite such similarity, blood group H2 chain and Leu-M, antigens do not cross-react and the specificity of H2 antigen function is not inhibited by anti-Lcu-M, activity (22,23),…”