Lectin histochemistry during sarcomatoid reversal of the tumor cell line RMT-2

The alterations in the content of free sugar residues were studied in the samples of the experimentally induced rat breast carcinoma in the course of sarcomatoid reversal. The material of the 2nd, 4th, 13th, and 30th transplantation generations was obtained from the Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Oncology in Brno. Glycosylation alterations were determined by immunohistochemical methods detecting the binding sites for lectins UEA1, WGA, Con A, and PNA. The results indicate that the content of most studied saccharides decreases in the course of sarcomatoid development. It is concluded that a changed phenotype could be associated with a suppression of postsynthetic glycosylation in cells.