Lewis Blood Group-Related Antigen Expression in Normal Gastric Epithelium, Intestinal Metaplasia, Gastric Adenoma, and Gastric Carcinoma |
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| Authors: | Kenji Kobayashi MD Junichi Sakamoto MD Tsuyoshi Kito MD Yoshitaka Yamamura MD Takashi Koshikawa MD Miyuki Fujita Tadashi Watanabe MD Hiroaki Nakazato MD |
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| Institution: | Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan: and Department of Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan |
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| Abstract: | The expression of blood group-related antigens of the Lewis system in normal gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia, gastric adenoma, and gastric carcinoma was examined. Ninety-five percent of normal foveolar epithelial samples stained positive for Lewisb antigen, whereas only 10.0% expressed Lewisa antigen. In contrast, intestinal metaplasia specimens had increased Lewisa antigen expression and slightly decreased Lewisb antigen expression. A similar pattern of Lewisa and Lewisb expression was observed in gastric adenomas and intestinal type adenocarcinomas. Lewisx and Lewisy were detected in all normal deep glands, but were not expressed in the majority of intestinal metaplasia specimens. In addition, only 20–40% of gastric adenomas and gastric carcinomas expressed Lewisx and Lewisy antigens. These changes in Lewis antigen expression in intestinal metaplasia, adenomas, and intestinal type adenocarcinomas suggest that altered expression of Lewis blood group-related antigens may correlate with cell transformation processes. |
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