GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS OF PORCINE BLOOD - HUMAN BLOOD GROUP-A AND H-ANTIGENS WITH TYPE-1 CHAIN IN ERYTHROCYTES AND PLASMA

Glycosphingolipids were purified from porcine erythrocytes and plasma. Two minor glycolipids with human blood group A and H antigenicities were found in both sources as components. The two antigenic glycolipids were identified as a hexaglycosylceramide (IV3-alpha-GalNAc,IV2-alpha-Fuc-Lc4Cer) for the A antigen and pentaglycosylceramide (IV2-alpha-Fuc-Lc4Cer) for the H antigen and belonged to lactoseries (type 1 sugar chain) in contrast to those with neolacto core (type 2 sugar chain) in human erythrocytes, thereby endorsing biochemically the previous serological observations that the A antigen on porcine erythrocytes is uptaken from plasma, probably the H antigen being the case. In addition to major glycolipids of globoseries in red cells and plasma, a variety of acidic glycolipids including two classes of sulphatides (sulphated galactosylceramide and sulphated lactosylceramide) and five classes of gangliosides (GM3, GD3, GM1, fucosyl GM1 and GD1a) containing N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid were obtained from plasma.