VICIA-VILLOSA-B4 LECTIN IS THE 2ND ANTI-TN LECTIN SHOWN TO REACT BETTER WITH BLOOD-GROUP-N THAN M-ANTIGEN

Earlier studies showed that Moluccella laevis lectin, which has anti-T n specificity, reacts more strongly with native or desialylated blood group N glycophorin A than with the respective glycophorins of blood g roup M. We now present results indicating that Vicia villosa B4 anti-T n lectin, which does not show detectable reaction with untreated glyco phorins or erythrocytes, reacts better with desialylated blood group N antigen than with asialo M antigen. This was demonstrated by three as says. (1) agglutination of asialoerythrocytes; (2) binding of biotinyl ated lectin to asialoerythrocytes immobilized on ELISA plates; and (3) inhibition of lectin binding to asialo-aealactoglycophorin with asial oglycophorins M and N. These results supply further support for the co nclusion that glycophorin of blood group N has more GalNAc residues un substituted with Gal (Tn receptors) than glycophorin of blood group M.