Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Stage-specific embryonic antigen involves αl→ 3 fucosylated type 2 blood group chains

Nature volume 292, pages 156–158 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

There is much interest in developmentally regulated molecules which may have function in cell interactions and sorting during embryogenesis and differentiation. Numerous antisera have been raised which detect antigens that are expressed in early embryonic cells and become restricted during differentiation, being expressed in only a minority of adult cells (reviewed in refs 1–3). The precise antigenic determinants recognized by such antisera have not been defined. However, studies using a hybri-doma antibody against mouse spleen cells4 and monoclonal autoantibodies of patients with cold agglutinin disease5 have shown that two defined carbohydrate antigen systems, the Forssman and the li antigens, have stage-specific expression in early mouse embryos. We now describe evidence that the stage-specific embryonic antigen SSEA-1 (ref. 6) involves the carbohydrate sequence Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc ↑1,3 Fucα This determinant is formed by α 1 → 3 fucosylation of blood group I or i antigens which are branched or linear oligosaccharides, respectively7–9, built of Galβ1 →4GlcNAc units and known as type 2 precursor chains10 of the major blood group antigens. Thus, we introduce the concept of simple glycosylation changes as a basis for stage-specific expression of embryonic antigens.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jacob, F. Curr. Topics dev. Biol. 13, 117–137 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Solter, D. & Knowles, B. B. Curr. Topics dev. Biol 13, 139–165 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wiley, L. M. Curr. Topics dev. Biol. 13, 167–193 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Willison, K. R. & Stern, P. L. Cell. 14, 785–793 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kapadia, A., Feizi, T. & Evans, M. J. Expl Cell Res. 131, 185–195 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Solter, D. & Knowles, B. B. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 5565–5569 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Watanabe, K., Hakomori, S., Childs, R. A. & Feizi, T. J. boil. Chem. 254, 3221–3228 (1979).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Feizi, T., Childs, R. A., Watanabe, K. & Hakomori, S. J. exp. Med. 149, 975–980 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Niemann, H. et al. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 81, 1286–1293 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Watkins, W. M. Adv. Hum. Genet. 10, 1–136, 379–385 (1980).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Fox, N. et al. Devl BioL (in the press).

  12. Nudelman, E. et al. Biochim. biophys. Res. Commun. 97, 443–451 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wood, E., Lecomte, J., Childs, R. A. & Feizi, T. Molec. Immun. 16, 813–819 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lloyd, K. O., Kabat, E. A. & Licerio, E. Biochemistry 7, 2976–2990 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Watkins, W. M. & Morgan, W. T. J. Vox Sang. 4, 97–119 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schiffman, G., Kabat, E. A. & Thompson, W. Biochemistry 3, 113–120 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Wood, E., Hounsell, E. F., Langhorne, J. & Feizi, T. Biochem. J. 187, 711–718 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Feizi, T. et al. J. exp. Med. 133, 39–52 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Koscielak, J. in Human Blood Groups (eds Mohn, J. F. et al. 143–149 (Karger, Basle, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Muramatsu, T. et al. Cell 18, 183–191 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Augé, C., David, S. & Veyrières, A. Nouv. J. Chim. 3, 491–497 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Feizi, T., Wood, E., Augé, S. & Veyrieres, A. Immunochemistry 15, 733–736 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wood, E. & Feizi, T. FEBS Lett. 104, 135–140 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kobata, A. Meth. Enzym. 28, 262–271 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Feizi, T. Revue fr. Transfusion Immuno-hemat. 23, 563–577 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Yang, H.-J. & Hakomari, S. J. biol. Chem. 246, 1192–1200 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Feizi, T., Kapadia, A., Gooi, H. C. & Evans, M. J. in Teratocarcinoma and Cell Surface (eds Muramatsu, T. & Ikawa, Y.) (Japan Scientific Societies Press, Tokyo, in the press).

  28. Feizi, T. et al. J. Immun. 106, 1578–1592 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Szulman, A. E. in Human Blood Groups (eds Mohn, J. P. et al. 426–436 (Karger, Basle, (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Prieels, J.-P. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 2215–2219 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Ziomek, C. A. & Johnston, M. H. Cell 21, 935–942, 1980.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Oppenheimer, S. B. Expl Cell Res. 92, 122–126 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Grabel, L. B., Rosen, S. D. & Martin, G. R. Cell 17, 477–484 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Neufeld, E. & Ashwell, G. in The Biochemistry of Glycoproteins and Proteoglycans (ed. Lennarz, W. J.) 241–266 (Plenum, New York, 1980).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  35. Day, J. F., Thornburg, R. W., Thorpe, S. R. & Baynes, J. W. J. biol. Chem. 255, 2360–2365 (1980).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Stahl, P. et al. Cell 19, 207–215 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Centre, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ, UK

    H. C. Gooi, T. Feizi & A. Kapadia

  2. Wistar Institute of Anatomy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA

    B. B. Knowles & D. Solter

  3. Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CBQ 3EH, UK

    M. J. Evans

Authors
  1. H. C. Gooi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Feizi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Kapadia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. B. Knowles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. Solter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. J. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gooi, H., Feizi, T., Kapadia, A. et al. Stage-specific embryonic antigen involves αl→ 3 fucosylated type 2 blood group chains. Nature 292, 156–158 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/292156a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/292156a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing