ABSTRACT
Abnormal structure and function of cell surface constituents results in a loss of cell-to-cell interaction and in disturbances of growth that have been associated with neoplastic transformation. Many of the cell surface changes that are considered characteristic of neoplasia affect the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids present in the "glycocalyx" or "cell coat." It is plausible that in neoplastic cells some antigenic determinants carried on these glycoproteins or lipids, such as the A, B, and H blood group antigens, become lost or undetectable because of impaired synthesis or conformational rearrangement. Whether these antigenic changes are in any way relevant to the biologic behavior of the neoplastic cells is uncertain. A number of observations have suggested that a high malignant potential is associated with more profound disturbances in the expression of A, B, and H antigens. For example, our studies on transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder established that a correlation does exist between reduced A, B, and H tissue reactivity and invasive potential [1].
