IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST ABH AND OTHER GLYCOCONJUGATES IN NORMAL HUMAN PYLORIC AND DUODENAL MUCOSAE

Eighty-eight monoclonal antibodies were tested by immunohistochemistry on human gastro-duodenal mucosae of known ABO, Lewis and Secretor phe notypes. Antibodies were classified among anti-A, anti-B, anti-AB, ant i-H and other antiglycoconjugates glycoconjugates (I, i, T, Tn, Lewis, P1, Tk). Anti-A, B and AB antibodies were subdivided into subgroups w ith ''broad'' or ''restricted'' reactivity according to the extent of epithelial cell labeling. Anti-H antibodies were classified in accorda nce to their degree of sensitivity to the secretor phenotype. Among an ti-T and anti-I antibodies, only one of each showed positive staining of epithelial cells. All anti-Lewis antibodies had distinct reactivite s, although, they were clearly anti-Lewis reagents. Some anti-P1 antib odies labeled epithelial cells, irrespective of the ABO, Lewis and sec retor phenotypes. One anti-Tk stained the Golgi apparatus of most epit helial cells, irrespective of the individual's phenotype. In conclusio n, some of the antibodies tested were defined as very useful reagents for immunohistochemistry showing both specificity and sensitivity.