Variation of Blood Group Antigen Expression on Vaginal Cells and Mucus in Secretor and Nonsecretor Women

Abstract

The expression of blood group antigens on the surface of urothelial cells and in mucus is controlled partly by the blood type and secretor status of the individual. To our knowledge, the possibility that the levels of these antigens vary with time has not been previously assessed. We determine if the pattern and/or intensity of blood group antigen expression on vaginal epithelial cells and mucus changed with time. Cell and mucus specimens were collected weekly for 3 months from 10 women: 5 (2 secretors and 3 nonsecretors) with and 5 (3 secretors and 2 nonsecretors) without a history of urinary tract infections. In addition, samples were collected on 5 consecutive days from 5 of these individuals. The cell and mucus samples were assayed for ABH and Lewis blood group antigens using monoclonal antibodies in cell concentration immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked fluorogenic assays, respectively. Although the pattern of antigen expression in the vaginal cell and mucus samples was consistent with the blood type and secretor status of an individual, in all women the level of antigen expression changed significantly and rapidly during the 3-month and 5-day periods. The results show a previously unrecognized phenomenon and demonstrate that the expression of blood group antigens on vaginal cells and in mucus is a dynamic process.

LacZ expression in Fut2-LacZ reporter mice reveals estrogen-regulated endocervical glandular expression during estrous cycle, hormone replacement, and pregnancy

“…Endocervical expression that varies during the estrous cycle and prominent expression during pregnancy suggests a potential protective role against ascending infection analogous to the hypothesized role of glycosyltransferases genes in the gastrointestinal tract (Henry, 2001). In humans, expression of fucosylated blood group antigens in cervical mucus and on the cell surface of vaginal cells vary cyclically in both secretor and non-secretor women (Schaeffer et al, 1994). Since host-pathogen interactions frequently involve cell surface glycans as adhesion molecules, polymorphism of the secretor gene have been proposed to be associated with susceptibility to microbial infections (Varki, 1993).…”

Histo-blood group glycans in the context of personalized medicine

“…I antigen expression in RBCs is negligible at birth and reaches the full adult level by the age of 18 months [59], giving an example of the oncodevelopmental nature of histo-BG antigen expression [33]. The expression levels of ABO/Se and Le antigens can also vary tremendously within an adult individual over time [60]. Regulatory mechanisms of histo-BG-related glycogene expression, such as microRNA or transcription factor expression, are now being studied [38,61].…”

Increase in Lectin Binding Sites on Epithelial Cells by Chronic Bladder Infection in Rats

“…The receptors arc in general composed of carbohydrate residues of glyco conjugates [3,4], Previous studies have shown that ad herence of Escherichia coli varies in degree with the P blood group phenotype [5,6] and that E. coli adheres to buccal cells more frequently in patients with recurrent uri nary tract infections than in healthy women [7], These findings suggest that the susceptibility to recurrent uri nary tract infection is due to a genetic trait. However, lec tin histochcmical studies have shown that the carbohy drate residues on uroepithelial cells may change with aging or development of neoplasm [8][9][10], A recent study using monoclonal antibodies has shown that the expres sion of ABH blood group antigens on vaginal cells changes with time [11]. Therefore, the possibility cannot be denied that in patients with recurrent urinary tract infection, the first infection has increased receptors for bacteria and facilitates reinfections.…”