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 Lewis^b (Le^b) 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 Le^b antigen were isolated from the heterogeneous endometrial cancer cell line SNG-II cells to characterize the biological significance of Le^b antigen on endometrial cancer cells. SNG-S cells mainly expressed Le^b, 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.