SULPHOGLYCOPROTEIN ANTIGENS IN HUMAN ALIMENTARY CANAL AND GASTRIC CANCER . AN IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL STUDY

The distribution of sulphoglycoproteins in the mucosa of the human alimentary canal has been investigated by a sensitive immunofluorescence technique. Gastric epithelium obtained from young peptic ulcer patients was assumed to reveal the normal distribution of sulphoglycoproteins in the gastric mucosa. The earlier immunochemical observation of the existence of three kinds of sulphoglycoproteins of different antigenicity was confirmed histoimmunologically. Normally two of these are present but differ in their location. The third, called foetal antigen in the nomenclature adopted, was present in gastric cancer cells but could also be found outside the tumour in superficial cells. This foetal antigen was occasionally noted in the antral superficial cells in four stomachs without detectable malignancy. The relation between carcinogenesis and the presence of cells which possess this foetal antigen is discussed. Copyright © 1968 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company