Novel Fucolipids Accumulating in Human Adenocarcinoma

A series of glycolipids having the X determinant (Gal~1+4[Fuccr1+3]GlcNAc) at the terminus and a fucosyl a143 residue at the internal GlcNAc residue have been isolated and characterized from tumor tissues (Hakomori, S., Nudelman, E., Levery, S. B., and Kannagi, R. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259,4672-4680. A series of monoclonal antibodies that differentially recognize glycolipids with mono-, di-, and trifucosylated type 2 chain have been isolated and characterized. The antibody FH4 shows a remarkable preferential reactivity towards di-/or trifucosylated type 2 chain, i.e. it does not react with monofucosylated structures, including lactofucopentaosyl(II1)ceramide (II13FucnLc4), monofucosyl neolactonorhexaosylceramide (y2, V3FucnLc6), and monofucosyl neolactonoroctaosylceramide (zl, VI13FucnLcs), but reacts well with diand trifucosylated type 2 chain structures such as difucosyl neolactonorhexaosylceramide (II13V3Fuc2nLc6) and trifucosyl neolactonoroctaosylceramide (IIISV3VI13Fuc3nLce). Two other monoclonal antibodies, FH5 and ACFH18, preferentially react with trifucosylated type 2 chain structure (II13V3VI13Fuc3nLc6), although cross-reactivity with difucosylated type 2 chain (II13V3Fuc2nLce) was observed. They showed a minimal cross-reaction with monofucosylated type 2 chain. In contrast, the antibody FH1 does not react with II13FucnLc4 but reacts with V3FucnLc6, II13V3FUC~nLC6, and II13V3VI13Fuc3nLcs. Two monoclonal antibodies, FH2 and FH3, do not discriminate among various glycolipids having fucosylated type 2 chain, and their reactivities are ess ntially similar to previously established antibodies directed to the X determinant, such as anti-SSEA-1, WGHS 29, VEPS and 9, My-1, etc. This series of antibodies will be useful to detect the specific type of glycolipid with fucosylated type 2 chain accumulating in human cancer and in undifferentiated cells.