Blood group antigen expression in nephroblastoma

The histological distribution of A, B, H, Lewis, Pr, i and I blood group antigens (BGA) was studied in 19 nephroblastomas and one mesoblastic nephroma by means of the indirect immunofluorescence technique. In addition to general conclusions about the relatively limited BGA expression in the tumour cells, their histological distribution was found to be related to the differentiation level of these renal embryonic tumours. By comparison with normal embryonic, fetal and adult kidney it was shown that the nephroblastoma differentiation level is not higher than that of a 3-month fetal kidney. Furthermore, i antigen appears to be a non-specific marker of the histiocytic macrophage cells of the nephroblastoma stroma.