[Lectin receptors in the breast and its tumors]

Distribution of lectin receptors of peanut, soy-bean, wheat ovary and concanavalin A was studied in normal and tumor human breast tissue. It is established, that in dysplasia and benign neoplasms there is a shift of lectin receptors from the apical or basal pole of acinar epithelium and ducts to the whole plasmolemma surface. There appears a mild affinity of the cytoplasm to the lectins. In carcinoma homogeneous staining of tumour cell cytoplasm and plasmolemma increase. The number of lectin receptors in the cells from low differentiated tumours decreases, a major part of the cells losing the ability of binding to lectins. Malignancy is associated with an increase in mosaic staining. The earliest signs of malignancy can be revealed with the peanut lectin.