Structural Aspects of Blood Group Glycosphingolipids in the Gastrointestinal Tract

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Abstract
The epithelial cell surface of the small intestine is very rich in carbohydrates. These consist of loosely bound mucous glycoproteins and of lipid and protein linked oligosaccharides bound to the brush border membrane. Although the majority is protein-linked, the large total amount makes the small intestine a rich source of glycosphingolipids. A large proportion of these glycolipids contains fucose and expresses blood group activities. The glycosphingolipids of the small intestine of the dog were the first to be studied more thoroughly1 and a blood group-related variation between different individuals was found. A blood group individuality expressed on glycosphingolipids had earlier been observed on erythrocytes for the ABH, Lewis, P and Ii systems in man (for example see refs. 2–4). A species specificity of blood groups had been known3 and a comparison of glycosphingolipids from the small intestine of several mammalian species showed a remarkable variation in pattern.5 This variation -was largely due to blood group type glycosphingolipids, but a variation in gangliosides was also found.6 The small intestinal glycosphingolipids of man, dog2,7 and rat8 have been thoroughly studied, but the structures found in the stomach have only been described in detail for pigs2,9 and in the large intestine of rats10.