[The expression of the blood related antigens in intestinal metaplasia of the stomach in gastric cancer]

Abstract

The monoclonal antibodies detecting blood group related antigens of the Lewis systems have been used to define the immunoanatomic distribution of these antigens within the normal gastric mucosa and in gastric cancer tissues. In this study we analysed the presence of these antigens in histologically intestinal metaplasia of the stomach by the immunoperoxidase method. In normal gastric mucosa, Lewisb was distinctly expressed in normal foveolar epithelia and Lewisa was present in foveolar epithelia in half of the cases. Lewisx and Lewisy were detected in deep gastric glands. In intestinal metaplasia, more pronounced expression of Lewisa and decreased expression of Lewisb were observed. Lewisx and Lewisy were absent in most specimens of intestinal metaplasia. These pattern of expression of Lewis antigens in intestinal metaplasia were very similar to those observed in well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas of the stomach. These results indicate that well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas of the stomach have very similar character with the intestinal metaplasia in terms of the Lewis blood group antigen expression.