STUDIES ON BLOOD GROUP ISOANTIGENS IN UROEPITHELIUM

I. Determination of Isoantigens in Non-Malignant Epithelium of Tumor-Bearing Bladder

Abstract

A and B blood type isoantigens were investigated in 216 non-tumorous tissue specimens surrounding bladder cancer by means of the specific red cell adherence test (SRCA). The SRCA reaction was assorted as positive, intermediate and negative, the intermediate reaction also being subdivided into four types as basal layer positive, basal layer negative patchy and weak positive.
The tissue specimens were classified into positive, intermediate and negative groups according to SRCA reaction of the primary tumors. The histologically normal epithelium was SRCA-positive in 97% of the specimens in the positive group, 91% in the intermediate group and 69% in the negative group; for hyperplastic epithelium it was 100, 77 and 57% and for the dysplastic epithelium it was 78, 50 and 53%, respectively. On the other hand, all specimens of normal epithelium, proliferative cystitis, and Brunn's cell nest and 83% of hyperplastic epithelium obtained from non-malignant bladders showed SRCA-positive reaction.
The results may indicate that dedifferentiation expressed as the loss of blood group isoantigens has occurred in the histologically benign epithelium of the tumor-bearing bladders and that its occurrence is frequent in the bladder, associated with SRCA-negative tumors.