Large bowel carcinoma-specific antigens detected by the lectin, Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-II.

Abstract

A lectin reactivity specific to human bowel carcinoma is reported. Twenty-six cases of carcinoma of the large intestine were examined. Normal as well as transitional mucosa and carcinoma tissues were removed from surgical specimens, and paraffin sections were stained with a battery of histochemical methods to characterize glycoconjugates, including high iron diamine-Alcian blue pH 2.5, modified PAS reaction to detect various sialic acids, paradoxical concanavalin A (Con A) staining, and stainings with 10 species of lectins labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Among the techniques employed, only Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-II (GS-II, specific to glucosamine)-HRP staining revealed highly selective affinity to the carcinoma tissues; the apical surface of the carcinoma cells stained most intensely. GS-II reactivity of the cells persisted after prior periodate oxidation, but was significantly enhanced by neuraminidase digestion. Comparison with two other lectin stainings with the same sugar specificity, viz. paradoxical concanavalin A staining and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-HRP staining, showed that the GS-II reactive sites lacked class III Con A reactivity but were possibly included in WGA reactive sites. The GS-II-HRP staining should be helpful in the identification of carcinoma tissue and for analysis of carcinoma-associated antigens.