Studies on Secretor Specific H Antigen of Water-Soluble Blood Group Substances. I

Findings of Anti-H(Se) Precipitin in Eel Sera

Abstract

The presence of two kind of precipitins against blood group H substances from the human stomach and ovarian cyst was demonstrated in eel (Anguilla japonica) sera by immunodiffusion techniques in agar gel. One of them which forms the precipitation line to antigen side is the known anti-H precipitin containing anti-H agglutinin activity. The precipitating activity of the eel anti-H serum with H substance was inhibited by L-fucose and 2'fucosyllactose. The anti-H precipitin also reacts well with H substance from the hog stomach, but does not show clear precipitation lines with human secretor salivas and 1% solution of preparations of H substances from the small intestine, meconium and semen. Another precipitin which forms a precipitation line to the antiserum side in agar gel reacts well with H substances from human secretions and tissues. Because this precipitin reacted with water-soluble substances from human secretor, the antigen was named H(Se) and antibody anti-H(Se). The anti-H(Se) precipitin is not absorbed with group O red cells and the H and H(Se) activities of H substance against eel precipitins are decomposed by α-(1→2)-fucosidase.