Origin of Anti‐Thomsen‐Friedenreich (T) and Tn Agglutinins in Man and in White Leghorn Chicks

Abstract

Interest in anti-Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antibodies has increased because of their significance in detection of and their possible interaction with human adenocarcinoma. The origin of anti-T, which all humans possess, has not been ascertained. We determined here that anti-T and -Tn agglutinins could readily be induced via the physiological intestinal route by an enteric bacterium, E. coli O86, which possesses T and Tn activities. One dose of live E. coli O86 given in the drinking water to germfree chicks, who had no anti-T and -Tn antibodies, resulted, in all birds, in formation of saline agglutinating anti-T and -Tn antibodies as well as those detectable only by indirect agglutination. Antibody specificity was confirmed by adsorption on and elution from homologous human erythrocytes and for anti-T also by haemagglutination inhibition. In contrast, control chicks raised under ordinary conditions did have anti-T and -Tn prior to feeding E. coli O86. In humans, six diarrhoeic and five healthy infants and the majority of 13 adults investigated were fed killed rather than live E. coli O86. All infants, but one, suffering from diarrhoea showed a significant increase (greater than or equal to 4-fold) in anti-T and/or anti-Tn antibodies; in some, these antibodies were elicited de novo. All four adults with intestinal lesions had a significant increase of anti-T and/or -Tn subsequent to ingestion of E. coli O86, as did five of nine healthy adults, but to a lesser extent. These findings support the immune nature of demonstrable levels of anti-T and -Tn.

Cancer‐associated carbohydrate identification in Hodgkin's lymphoma by carbohydrate array profiling

“…All individuals carry IgM antibodies against Tn and T antigens as a result of gastrointestinal bacteria carrying cross-reacting carbohydrate structures. 18 Moreover, it has been suggested that these antibodies may play a critical role in tumor surveillance. 19 It has been reported that depressed levels of anti-T IgM antibodies are associated not only with carcinoma diagnosis but also with preclinical diagnosis.…”

The immunomodulating roles of glycoproteins in epithelial ovarian cancer

“…The T antigen (Galbeta1-3GalNAc), also known as the Thomsen-Friedenreich or Tf antigen, is exposed on red blood cells infected with viruses and bacteria or after digestion with neuramindase (146). Pioneering research conducted by George Springer led to the understanding that the majority of solid tumors express high levels of T antigen on their surface (147,148).…”

Antibodies to Pancarcinoma Tn Epitope: Their Altered Levels in Breast Carcinoma Patients

“…However, in 1974. we found Tn antigen to be associated with breast carcioma [11], Tn and T are now recognized as universal ('pan') carcinoma antigens: they have been found in ~90% of all carcinomata tested from incipience onward, but they are occluded in most benign diseased and healthy tissues [12][13][14], Immunohistochemistry using computerized image analysis [15] as well as serological studies have shown that strong Tn epitope expression in primary breast carcinoma tissues is associated with poor prognosis [16][17][18], Because Tn and T epitopes are masked from the immune system in noncarcinoma tissues [1,5], all humans have anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies elicited largely by their own intestinal flora which carries Tn and T specificities [19], Since sialyl-Tn appears readily accessible only in some normal tissues, humans also have very low levels of anti-sialyl-Tn antibodies. Asialoovine submaxillary mucin (AS-OSM) was an up to > 100-fold stronger inhibitor than OSM of anti-Tn agglutinins in 56 of 58 randomly collected human sera.…”