Full expression of blood group-related, transplantation-related, and carcinoembryonic antigens in human colorectal cancer cells with different degrees of phenotypic differentiation

Seven established human colon carcinoma cell lines with distinct degrees of phenotypic differentiation were evaluated for the presence of blood group-related and transplantation-related antigens in relation to their production of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). All lines presented A and B antigens regardless of the patients' original red blood cell type. However, tumor cells from patients originally classified as O-type had lower expression of both A and B antigens and high production of CEA. Cells from patients with an original A type had low to undetectable CEA production and high expression of both A and B antigens. There was no particular segregation of transplantation-related antigens with respect to phenotypic expression. All lines presented HLA-A, -B, and -C, as well as -DR antigens. These results demonstrate that colon carcinoma cells have the ability to fully express both blood group-related and transplantation-related antigens, even if discordant with the donor's red blood cell phenotype. Furthermore, it appears that expression of A antigen is intimately related to synthesis of CEA.