Differential expression of ABO antigens in normal and altered skin conditions

Abstract

Since its discovery by Karl Landsteiner in 1900, ABO blood group antigens have played a pivotal role in transfusion medicine. Recently, their possible roles in inflammation and cancer have been proposed; however, their role in skin remains elusive. To elucidate their expression and function in skin, semiquantitative immunohistochemical analyses using monoclonal anti-A, B, or, H antibody were performed for the specimens diagnosed as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris, cellulitis, and cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and for 2-MED ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated skin and normal control. In normal skin, A/B antigen was mainly expressed in stratum granulosum, while H antigen was in stratum spinosum. In psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, A or B antigen expression showed an appreciable decrease in stratum granulosum with a slight increase in stratum spinosum, and H antigen was extensively stained in stratum spinosum. Although A/B antigen expression also decreased in ichthyosis vulgaris, it was not evident as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. A/B antigen expression in cellulitis and cutaneous lupus erythematosus decreased in stratum granulosum, but increased considerably in stratum corneum, stratum spinosum. In UV-irradiated skin, A/B antigen expression in stratum granulosum were decreased, but H antigen expression showed marked increase in stratum spinosum and stratum basale. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that transferase A and B decreased after the UV irradiation, whereas related glycosyltransferase including FUT1, B4GALT1,2,3,4, B3GNT5, B4GALT6 increased at 24h after the irradiation. In conclusion, the expression of ABO blood group antigen showed a differential distribution and intensity according to skin disorders, suggesting that ABO blood groups might be implicated in the pathogenesis of various skin diseases in the aspect of differentiation and inflammation.