[Partial characterization of the epithelial lectin binding sites of human gingiva and skin]

Frozen sections of human gingiva and skin, fixed in acetone, were subjected to limited enzyme digestion (neuraminidase, proteinase K, trypsin) or, respectively, the application of solvents (chloroform/methanol, triton X-100) to allow a partial characterization of epithelial lectin binding sites. Gingiva differs from normal skin in that more conA-binding glycolipids are present in the lower cell layers. In the upper layers conA-fixing glycoproteins are prevailing. Psoriatic foci regularly exhibit an increased presence of conA-binding glycolipids. Gingiva and normal skin have some common features in the behavior of the lectin binding sites of HPA, WGA and UEA I. Analogies in the binding pattern of conA and UEA I in gingival tissue and in psoriatic foci are thus due to different lectin receptors.