Glycosylation in human colorectal mucosa during tumor development studied by lectins

The panel of six lectins was used for demonstration of glycosylative changes in the hyperplastic, adenomatous and carcinomatous mucosa of large bowel. The obtained results were rather heterogeneous with regard to lectin binding capacity in the single cases but they proved a certain uniformity of changes inside every tested group. These changes cohered with decrease of capability dysplastic and neoplastic cells to produce of normal goblets and with loss of cell polarity. Possible causes of these alterations are discussed.