An unusual anti-H lectin inhibited by milk from individuals with the Bombay phenotype

There are several lectins with anti-H specificity but few of them serve as useful reagents. An anti-H lectin, extracted from the seeds of the plant Momordica dioica Roxb. ex willd., was tested for its hemagglutination and inhibition properties, using standard serologic methods and panel RBCs, serum, saliva, milk, and oligosaccharides purified from milk. The extract displayed strongest agglutination with group O RBCs and was weakest with group A₁B RBCs in a spectrum of O>A₂>B>A₂B>A₁>A₁B; the extract failed to react with the RBCs from 25 individuals with the Bombay (O_h) phenotype and was inhibited by H secretor saliva, hence it was characterized as anti-H. However, its inhibition by milk samples from five mothers with the Bombay phenotype called into question its specificity as anti-H. The lectin reacted as strongly with group O ii (adult) RBCs as with normal OI RBCs, ruling out its specificity as anti-HI. Hemagglutination inhibition was observed with 2′-fucosyllactose (Type 2 H) and lacto-N-fucopentose-I (Type 1 H), suggesting that the binding of the lectin had preference for H structures. However, inhibition by N-acetyllactosamine, lacto-N-tetraose, and lacto-N-neotetraose suggested that the lectin also recognized unsubstituted terminal beta-linked galactose units. The hemagglutinin property in the present lectin showed an unusual anti-H specificity. The lectin was inhibited by milk from Bombay phenotype individuals and certain milk oligosaccharides not specific for the H antigen. Immunohematology 2005;21:1–4.