Influence of the Secretor and Lewis Genes on Susceptibility to Duodenal Ulcer

Human duodenal mucosal cells have been examined by mixed-cell agglutination for the presence of blood- group antigens.The secretor status of the patients has been determined, and in a proportion of cases gastric juice as well as saliva has been studied.Mixed-cell agglutination has also been performed on the buccal cells from a percentage of subjects as a control of technique.The results indicate that antigen is present in secretor subjects, but is absent or very scanty in at least a proportion of non-secretor individuals.The possible relevance of this finding to the problem of duodenal ulcerogenesis is examined.This work formed part of a project the results of which were submitted as a thesis for the degree of M.D. of the University of Liverpool.