Lectin-binding sites in normal, hyperplastic, adenomatous and carcinomatous human colorectal mucosa

The carbohydrate structures of cellular glycoconjugates in normal, hyperplastic, adenomatous and carcinomatous human colorectal mucosa were analysed with six fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated lectins. In normal, hyperplastic and adenomatous colorectal mucosa showing mild or moderate dysplasia Concanavalin A (Con A), Lens culinaris (LCA), and wheat germ (WGA) agglutinins stained goblet cell glycoconjugates (actual mucin goblet itself) while peanut (PNA), Vicia villosa (VVA), and Griffonia simplicifolia-II (GSA-II) agglutinins showed a supranuclear staining of goblet cell glycoconjugates. After neuraminidase treatment of tissue sections PNA and VVA stained mucin goblets of mature cells in normal mucosa, while less differentiated cells in the lower crypt displayed a supranuclear staining with VVA. The mucin goblets in adenomatous mucosa with mild or moderate dysplasia did not stain with PNA and VVA, neither before nor after neuraminidase treatment. Areas of in situ cancer in adenomas and carcinomas displayed a strong and direct binding of Con A, LCA, WGA and PNA in an apical linear distribution, while the binding of VVA and GSA-II was heterogeneous. We conclude that there are alterations in the carbohydrate structures of cellular glycoconjugates, which can be related to goblet cell differentiation in normal colorectal mucosa and to the degree of dysplasia in adenomas. Heterogeneous and incompletely glycosylated glycoconjugates appear to be synthesized by the majority of colorectal carcinomas.