Detection of the granulocyte-specific antigen 3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine on leukemic cells after neuraminidase treatment.

The carbohydrate antigen 3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine (FAL) is expressed on human granulocytes and is detected by a monoclonal antibody B4.3. After neuraminidase treatment, this structure can also be detected on monocytes and on the cells of nearly all acute myeloid leukemia patients (38/39). It is then also present on the cells of a number of CALLA-positive lymphatic leukemias (8/18), but not on T-ALL and B-ALL cells. On cells of patients with AUL, the antigen is then detected in many TdT+ cases, but not in TdT- cases.