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We examined the distribution of blood group-related antigens using an indirect immunoperoxidase method with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed to A, B, H, Lewis a (Lea), Lewis b (Leb), Lewis x (Lex), and Lewis y (Ley) antigens and Type 1 precursor chain in human pancreas. Effects of prior digestion with exoglycosidases on MAb stainings were simultaneously investigated. A, B, H, Leb, and Ley antigens were detected in acinar cells and interlobular duct cells but not in centroacinar cells, intercalated duct cells, and islet of Langerhans cells. The expression of these antigens in acinar cells was not dependent on Lewis type and secretor status of the tissue donors, whereas that in interlobular duct cells was strictly dependent on secretor status. The distribution pattern of these antigens in acinar cells was not homogeneous, i.e., cells producing H antigens expressed both Leb and Ley antigens but not A or B antigens, whereas those producing A or B antigens did not secrete Leb and Ley as well as H antigens. Digestion with alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase or alpha-galactosidase resulted in the appearance of Leb and Ley antigens as well as H antigen in acinar cells producing A and/or B antigens. Type 1 precursor chain was not detected in pancreatic tissues from secretors but appeared in acinar cells producing H antigen after alpha-L-fucosidase digestion, which also disclosed Lex but not Lea antigen in acinar cells expressing both Leb and Ley. In some non-secretors, MAb against Type 1 precursor chain reacted with acinar cells without enzyme digestion. Although Lea antigen was not detected in acinar cells, it was found in centroacinar cells, intercalated duct cells, and interlobular duct cells from all individuals examined except two Le(a-b-) secretors. After sialidase digestion, Lex antigen appeared in centroacinar and intercalated duct cells from some individuals. Sialidase digestion also elicited reactivity with MAb against Type 1 precursor chain in islet of Langerhans cells from some individuals. These results demonstrate the complexity in the pattern of expression and regulation of blood group-related antigens in different cell types of human pancreas. Such complexity may largely be ascribed to differences in individual genotypes and in gene expression patterns of different cell types.

The characteristics of tooth profile of straight bevel gears of Gleason type were examined and the root stresses were investigated experimentally by making use of a static loading apparatus, which was developed by the authors. It was found that the tooth profile of straight bevel gears of Gleason type deviates from spherical involute curve in both the tip and the root of the tooth and that the root stresses at the middle of tooth trace are larger than those at the toe and the heel. Furthermore various calculating methods for contact ratio of straight bevel gears were compared on the basis of the measured contact ratio.

Dynamic behavior of straight bevel gears of Gleason type was investigated by measuring the dynamic load, circumferential, radial and axial vibration accelerations of gears and noise under different running conditions. It was found that the root stress ratios of maximum dynamic root stress to static one in the toe, middle and heel of a straight bevel gear tooth are almost equal and that the circumferential, radial and axial vibration accelerations of gears are coupled to each other. The circumferential vibration acceleration is considered to be the first source of the vibration and noise.

Using lectin staining methods in combination with exo- and endo-glycosidase digestion procedures, we analyzed the chemical structure of different types of blood group-related substances in serous cells of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human submandibular glands. Serous cells produced only H antigen; A and B antigens were not present, and the expression of H antigen is dependent on the secretor status of the tissue donor. Although reactivity with Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) was not markedly reduced by alpha-L-fucosidase digestion, an affinity for peanut agglutinin (PNA) was seen after fucosidase digestion in the cells from secretors. In those from nonsecretors, no PNA reactivity appeared after enzyme digestion. On the other hand, sialidase digestion elicited PNA reactivity in serous cells irrespective of the donor's secretor status. PNA reactivity observed after fucosidase or sialidase digestion was susceptible to endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (endo-GalNAc-dase) digestion. SBA reactivity in UEA-I-negative cells from secretors, or in cells from fetuses and newborn infants, was markedly reduced by beta-galactosidase digestion. After galactosidase digestion, reactivity with Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin II (GSA-II) appeared in the corresponding cells. This GSA-II reactivity was almost completely eliminated by subsequent beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase digestion. Whereas PNA reactivity in these cells was not reduced by beta-galactosidase treatment, it was significantly diminished by endo-GalNAc-dase digestion. These results suggest that at least two kinds of precursor disaccharides are produced in submandibular serous cells, i.e., SBA-reactive D-galactose-(beta 1-3,4)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and PNA-reactive D-galactose-(beta 1-3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine alpha 1-serine or threonine (O-glycosidically linked Type 3 chain or T antigen). Final fucosylation and synthesis of these two types of precursor chain appear to be under the control of the secretor gene.

We examined the effects of alpha-L-fucosidase digestion on lectin staining in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human pancreatic tissue from individuals of different blood groups. Digestion with the enzyme resulted in apparent diminished intensity of Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I) staining in the acinar cells. In addition to the decreased intensity of UEA-I staining, reactivity with soybean agglutinin (SBA) was increased in the enzyme-susceptible, UEA-I-reactive cells. The intensity of Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-II (GSA-II) staining performed after beta-galactosidase digestion in UEA-I-reactive acinar cells was markedly increased by prior treatment with fucosidase. GSA-II staining following sequential digestion with fucosidase and galactosidase was completely abolished by subsequent digestion with beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase. These results therefore substantiate the previous assumption that SBA-reactive D-galactose-(beta 1-3,4)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and GSA-II reactive beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine imparted following galactosidase digestion represent precursors of H antigen. The present study further demonstrated that intense peanut agglutinin (PNA) staining was imparted after digestion with fucosidase in UEA-I-reactive sites in secretors. In contrast, nonsecretors showed vivid PNA staining that was usually detected throughout the pancreas without prior enzyme digestion. Here, fucosidase digestion had if any little effect on PNA staining. These results suggest that in secretors a terminal trisaccharide, fucosylated D-galactose-(beta 1-3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine exhibiting positive PNA reaction after fucosidase digestion, exists in UEA-I-reactive acinar cells. It is assumed that the secretor gene could control the step of final fucosylation of D-galactose-(beta 1-3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine in human pancreas.

We investigated localization of blood group antigens and their related substances in human labial salivary and submandibular glands by application of a post-embedding cytochemical staining procedure using lectin- or glycoprotein-gold complexes. Surgical tissue was obtained from 10 patients. Blood group-specific lectins, such as Dolichos biflorus agglutinin or Helix pomatia agglutinin (group A-specific), Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-I B4 (group B-specific), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (group H-specific) could recognize A, B, and H antigens, respectively, only in mature secretory granules (mature SG), which were found preferentially in cells in the late phase of the maturation cycle. In immature secretory granules (immature SG), which were found in cells in the early or middle phase of the maturation cycle, no binding with these lectins was observed. The Golgi complexes and endoplasmic reticula also were not labeled with these lectins. In blood group O and B secretors, blood group antigens were uniformly distributed throughout all the mature SG examined. However, in blood group A secretors, the distribution was heterogeneous, i.e., in some granules only H antigen was demonstrated, whereas in others both A antigens and a small amount of H antigens were detected. Among the blood group-nonspecific lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was found to bind more preferentially to immature SG than to mature SG. This was demonstrated irrespective of the blood group and secretor status of the tissue donor, except that in blood group A secretors WGA bound strongly to some mature SG which possessed A antigen. We discuss the significance of cellular and subcellular mosaic distribution of blood group antigens in connection with morphological differences of secretory granules and the maturation cycle of mucous cells.

Secretory cells of cervical glands in human uterine cervix are known to secrete various mucous substances including those with blood-group specificity(1). Recent studies have shown that lectins conjugated with horseradish peroxidase or colloidal gold are reliable histochemical reagents for demonstrating blood group antigens and their precursor substances in certain human tissues(2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Although labeled lectins and other histochemical methods for mucous substance have been employed for characterizing mucosubstance in cervical glands(9), these previous studies did not pay attention to the dependence of histochemical results on the blood-group of the tissue donors. The purpose of the present study is to examine properties of the cervical mucins, using various histochemical methods including lectin histochemistry at the light and electron microscopic level.

In human pancreas, soybean agglutinin (SBA) conjugated to horseradish peroxidase reacted with the acinar cells secreting blood group A and/or H antigen, but not with those secreting only B antigen. For detailed histochemical characterization of SBA staining, the effects of treatment with unlabeled lectins and of digestion of certain enzymes on SBA staining were investigated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded pancreatic tissue from individuals of different blood groups. Pre-incubation of sections with unlabeled Dolichos biflorus agglutinin to block A antigen eliminated subsequent SBA staining in the cells secreting A antigen, although failing to induce any effects in those secreting H antigen. In contrast, pre-incubation with unlabeled Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I) to block H antigen abolished SBA staining in cells secreting H antigen but not in those secreting A antigen. Treatment with galactose oxidase yielded the same results as those with unlabeled UEA-I, i.e., SBA reactivity was significantly diminished in cells secreting H antigen but not in those secreting A antigen. Digestion with beta-galactosidase resulted in a slight decrease of SBA staining in the cells secreting H antigen. Accompanying the decrease of SBA staining, reactivity with Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-II (GSA-II) appeared for the first time in the enzyme-susceptible, SBA-reactive cells secreting H antigen. Pre-treatment with galactose oxidase abolished this effect of beta-galactosidase. The GSA-II reactivity disclosed by treatment with galactosidase was completely eliminated by digestion with beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase, indicating that GSA-II staining after digestion with galactosidase is due to exposed penultimate beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues. These results demonstrate that at least two substances react with SBA in acinar cells of human pancreas, one being terminal beta-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues of A antigen, and the other being terminal beta-D-galactose-(1----3 or 1----4)-beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine dimers in the precursor of blood group H antigen. Such dimers may exist in close proximity to L-fucose residues of H antigen, since unlabeled UEA-I blocked SBA staining.