Conflicting data regarding the status of A, B, H and
T antigens in epithelium of normal, mastopathies,
fibroadenomas and
carcinomas of the breast stimulated us to re-examine the
carbohydrate residues in these condition. Currently, we extended the number of
carbohydrate residues studied by using ten different biotinylated
lectins as probes and
avidin-
biotin-
peroxidase complex (ABC) as a visualant. In addition, the pattern of
lectin staining of cancerous cells in primary and metastatic sites was compared. In primary and metastatic
breast carcinomas,
lectin receptor sites were stained more intensely with Concanavalia ensiformi
agglutinin (*Con A),
Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I) and
wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), than in normal breast, in mastopathies or in
fibroadenomas. Cryptic receptor sites for
peanut agglutinin (PNA) were stained in all cases of
breast carcinomas, while free PNA sites stained only in a few cases of well-differentiated
carcinomas. Receptors sites for Ulex europaeus
agglutinin-I (UEA-I) stained non-malignant epithelium of patients with
blood group H but did not
stain malignant cells. The results show significant differences in
lectin-binding patterns and staining intensities between normal and non-malignant, and malignant epithelial breast cells. Furthermore, these results indicate that in malignant cells, there is an increased content of
sialic acid-rich
carbohydrates but not of asialylated
glycoconjugates.