Lectin binding to human endometrial hyperplasias and adenocarcinoma

Arias-Stella change, cystic glandular hyperplasia, adenomatous hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma of the human endometrium were stained with different fluorescein-conjugated lectins. The lectins used were Concanavalin A, Triticum vulgaris, Arachis hypogaea, Glycine maximum, Dolichos biflorus, Ulex europaeus, and Ricinus communis. The results showed that the lectin staining of Arias-Stella change differed from the other conditions and resembled more closely the staining properties of normal late secretory endometrium. Cystic glandular hyperplasia resembled the normal proliferating endometrium and even had features of atrophic endometrium. The staining properties of adenomatous hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia resembled more those of endometrial adenocarcinoma. These similarities may be considered as support for the clinical findings that these conditions are potentially premalignant.