Loss of blood group ABO-related antigen expression in urothelium from patients with chronic cystitis.

A panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies was used to determine the expression of blood group ABH-related antigens carried by type 1 chain (H, Lea, Leb, ALed, ALeb) and type 2 chain (N-acetyllactosamine, H, Lex, Ley, A/ALey) core structures in biopsies of urothelium from patients with chronic cystitis. The biopsies originated from 17 individuals (9 A1, 7 H, 1 B) who had Le(a-b+) erythrocytes, and who were saliva secretors. Microscopic examination showed a variable extent of edema, hyperemia, bleeding, and infiltration. The expression of blood group antigens was determined in the 3 cell layers of urothelium by an indirect peroxidase method and compared with previous results from normal urothelium. Type 1 and type 2 chain A antigens and type 1 chain H antigens were deleted from urothelium in a significant (p less than 0.05) number of patients with chronic cystitis, and Lea (partly sialylated) expression was extended from the luminal cell layer to all cell layers. Antigen expression was independent of the presence or absence of polymorphonuclear cells in the infiltrate. In the basal cell layer of 44% of patients with chronic cystitis total deletion of type 1 and type 2 chain antigen expression was dominating. Both type 1 and type 2 chain antigens gradually appeared toward the luminal cell layer. The findings are parallel to some of those observed in transitional cell carcinomas, and should be taken into consideration when evaluating ABH deletion in carcinomas.