RECOGNITION OF THE BLOOD-GROUP-H TYPE-2 TRISACCHARIDE EPITOPE BY 28 MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AND 3 LECTINS

The patterns of cross-reaction of 30 monoclonal antibodies and three l ectins were determined by ELISA with 21 ABH, Ii or Lewis related synth etic oligosaccharides coupled to bovine serum albumin. At least seven main groups of cross-reactive patterns were identified among the antib odies, plus several isolated antibodies which had intermediate pattern s between two of the main antibody groups. The three lectins had diffe rent cross-reaction patterns, Galactia tenuiflora was different from a ll the antibodies, Ulex europaeus lectin 1 and Lotus tetragonolobus we re similar, but not identical to groups III and V of antibodies respec tively. The anti-II antibodies cross-reacting with A type 2 gave simil ar agglutination scores with all the normal ABO erythrocytes, while th e anti-II antibodies not cross-reacting with A type 2 reacted with dif ferent scores: 0 > A(2) > A(2)B > B > A(1) > A(1)B > O-h, suggesting t hat these antibodies react better with the free H epitopes and do not recognize the H in A or B epitopes. Based on the ELISA and agglutinati on results and the lowest energy conformations of each oligosaccharide obtained by computer modelling, the most probable oligosaccharide sur face areas recognized by each antibody main group are illustrated.