Fucosyltransferase activities in human lymphocytes and granulocytes

Human lymphocytes and granulocytes were examined for blood group H-gene-specified alpha-2-L-fucosyl-transferase, alpha-3-L-fucosyltransferase and blood group Le-gene-specified alpha-4-L-fucosyltransferase. No alpha-4-L-fucosyltransferase was detectable in either cell type. alpha-3-L-Fucosyltransferase was readily demonstrable in both lymphocytes and granulocytes and the levels of activity per 10(6) cells were approximately the same. In contrast, alpha-2-L-fucosyltransferase was detectable in lymphocytes but not in similar numbers of granulocytes. The absence of alpha-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.