[Immunohistochemical study of blood group activities in severely burned human tissue]

The blood, livers and lungs obtained from donors or cadavers of known blood groups were experimentally burned, while the temperatures inside the tissue specimens were automatically measured. All the distinguishable portions with various thermo-changes in each burned tissue specimen were examined for their blood-group activities A, B, Lea, Leb and P1 by means of the immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques. In the layer immediately before charring of the blood masses (tissue temperature: ca. 200-250 degrees C), the activities A, B, Lea, Leb and P1 could be specifically demonstrated on the erythrocyte membranes. In case of the burned livers and lungs, the A- and B-activities could be detected in the small blood vessels in the layer immediately before charring (ca. 200-250 degrees C), though the layer was so severely thermo-changed, that their original tissue structures could be no more observed. In the severely thermo-coagulated, porous and hardened layer of both organ tissues, the A- and B-activities could be demonstrated on the endothelial cells of the hepatic sinus and small blood vessels (especially in the alveolar walls). The simply thermo-coagulated inner portions well retained their original tissue structures and the A- and B-activities remained on the epithelial cells of the alveoli and bronchioles of the lung as well as the cells described above. The Lewis blood-group activities could be demonstrated on the epithelial cells of the bronchioles in the simply thermo-coagulated inner portion of the lung. The P1-activity could not be demonstrated in the burned tissues of the livers and lungs.