Biological Characteristics of Human Uterine Endometrial Cancer Variant Cells Selected for Blood Group H Type 1 Antigen : Adhesion to Vascular Endothelial Cells

The expression level of Lewisb(Leb) antigen was previously shown to correlate with the five−year survival rate of human endometrial cancer patients. Variant cell lines with high(SNG−S) and low(SNG−W) levels of cell surface Leb antigen were isolated from the heterogeneous endometrial cancer cell line SNG-II cells to characterize the biological significance of Leb antigen on endometrial cancer cells. SNG−S cells mainly expressed Leb, whereas SNG−W cells mainly expressed H type 1 carbohydrate antigen alternatively. In an in vitro system, SNG−W cells showed a greater capacity to adhere to cytokine−activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Their adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells was partially inhibited by pretreatment of antibody specific for H type 1 carbohydrate antigen. These results suggested that the H type 1 carbohydrate antigen expressed on endometrial cancer cells is involved in the adhesion to endothelial cells.