Lectin histochemistry of nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumour)

Paraffin sections of seven cases of nephroblastoma and one case of clear cell sarcoma were stained with a battery of eleven lectins conjugated to horseradish peroxidase. Lectin staining revealed similarities between blastema and stroma with respect to their content of glycoconjugates whereas blastema and epithelial cells exhibited major differences. In general, blastema and stroma contained glycoconjugates with terminal or penultimate beta-galactose, glycoconjugates having either biantennary or triantennary N-linked sugar chains or both, sialoglycoconjugates, and occasionally glycogen. Epithelial cells also showed these complex carbohydrates but stained additionally for terminal disaccharide galactose-(beta 1----3)-N-acetylgalactosamine, terminal alpha-galactose and terminal alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine. Furthermore, staining with three fucose-binding lectins revealed that the linkage between terminal alpha-fucose residues to the constituent oligosaccharide chains varied between epithelial cells, blastema and stroma. In general, the distribution and content of glycoconjugates in tumour cells comprising clear cell sarcoma resembled that in blastema and stroma of nephroblastoma. Other findings included differences in content of glycosubstance between cuboidal and columnar cells within the same tumour. Also observed were variations between a primary tumour and its metastasis with respect to the occurrence of certain complex carbohydrates.