Fucosyltransferase activities in human lymphocytes and granulocytes Blood group H-gene-specified α-2-L-fucosyltransferase is a discriminatory marker of peripheral blood lymphocytes

AbstractHuman lymphocytes and granulocytes were examined for blood group H-gene-specified α-2-L-fucosyl-transferase, α-3-L-fucosyltransferase and blood group Le-gene-specified α-4-L-fucosyltransferase. No α-4-L-fucosyltransferase was detectable in either cell type. α-3-L-Fucosyltransferase was readily demonstrable in both lymphocytes and granulocytes and the levels of activity per 106 cells were approximately the same. In contrast, α-2L-fucosyltransferase was detectable in lymphocytes but not in similar numbers of granulocytes. The absence of α-2-L-fucosyltransferase was confirmed in granulocytes isolated from the blood of eighty unselected donors and was independent of ABO blood group or ABH secretor status