Lectin-binding sites in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of human and rodent respiratory tracts.
The localization of fluorescein-labeled lectins, i.e., concanavalin A (Con A), Ricinus communis-120 (RCA), and wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA), were studied histologically in F344 rat epithelial lesions produced in the course of chemical carcinogenesis. WGA could not be demonstrated in these lesions. Although all lesions showed positive-binding sites when high concentrations of either Con A or RCA were used, a dilution study showed that the epithelial lesions had different affinities for lectins. With both Con A and RCA, dysplastic and neoplastic lesions showed the strongest intensity of fluorescence and squamous metaplasia showed the weakest. Normal and hyperplastic epithelia showed intermediate intensity. In the dilution study, RCA showed eight times more affinity and Con A showed two times more affinity for dysplastic and neoplastic epithelia than for normal or hyperplastic epithelium. Similar affinity patterns were observed in human lesions and tumors. With Con A, 58% of tumors showed much stronger fluorescence than did normal epithelium, and 44% of the tumors showed positive fluorescence with RCA. Although both lectins exhibited a stronger affinity for all the dysplastic-neoplastic lesions than for normal or hyperplastic epithelium, RCA proved to be the most adequate marker for preneoplastic lesions.
D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000032:analysis* / Q000139:chemically induced; D051381:Rats; D011952:Receptors, Concanavalin A / Q000032:analysis; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000032:analysis*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000139:chemically induced
D005452:Fluoresceins; D011952:Receptors, Concanavalin A; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; C032650:Ricinus communis lectin receptor; C027503:wheat germ agglutinin receptor; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene