Lectin binding by liver and lung metastasizing variants of the murine Lewis lung carcinoma

Lectin binding was assessed in subcutaneous tissues of 9 primary tumors of liver and lung metastasizing variants of murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and their metastases, using the avidin-biotin peroxidase technique. Dolichos bifloris agglutinin, concanavalin A, Ricinis communis agglutinin, and wheat germ agglutinin bound to equal numbers of primary and metastatic tumor cells, indicating that the carbohydrate moieties detected by them were not associated with metastatic potential. However, with peanut agglutinin (PNA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I), the majority of primary tumor cells had the phenotype PNA-, SBA-, UEA-; metastatic tumor cells to the liver had the phenotype PNA+, SBA+, UEA-1-, and metastases to lung had the phenotype PNA+, SBA+, UEA-1+. Thus, LLC tumor cells that were PNA+ SBA+ had metastatic potential, but with no organ-specific preference. However, those that were UEA-I- or UEA-I+ preferentially metastasized to the liver and lung, respectively, implying that selective metastasis was associated with differences in the carbohydrate composition of metastatic tumor cells.