title: Lectin binding in human breast cancer: clinical and pathologic correlations with fluorescein-conjugated peanut, wheat germ and concanavalin A binding.
abstract: Cell surface glycoconjugates of human breast cancer tissue were investigated using FITC peanut (PNA), wheat germ (WGA) and jackbean (concanavalin A; Con A) agglutinins. Although PNA and WGA binding patterns differed when normal and malignant breast tissues were compared, the specificity of this finding was poor and neither PNA nor WGA binding correlated with oestrogen receptor status or clinical outcome. Con A binding on the other hand was not seen in normal breast tissue. The percentage of Con-A-positive (Con A+) tumours increased progressively with advancing stage (16% Con A+ in stage I, 40% Con A+ in stage III) and there was a trend towards longer disease-free survival of patients with Con A- as compared to those with Con A+ tumours. However, in a multivariate analysis it was found that these differences were explained by the association with the stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dansey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ninin
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Bezwoda
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D037102:Lectins; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; C047939:fluorescein isothiocyanate-wheat germ agglutinin; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate