concanavalin-a and Dysgerminoma

Profiles of concanavalin A (Con A) and lentil agglutinin (LCH) affinity immunoelectrophoresis were compared for serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) from patients with yolk sac tumors and carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract, in order to find some correlations between peaks of AFP subfractions detectable by two different lectins, and to investigate whether or not it is possible to prove that the binding of AFP to LCH is weakened to some extent if a fucosylated sugar chain has, in addition, a bisect N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) attached to the beta-linked mannose. The results obtained with our improved techniques tend to indicate that a Con A-reactive AFP subfraction (peak a) corresponds to an LCH strongly reactive AFP (peak A), while a Con A-nonreactive AFP (peak b) corresponds to an LCH weakly reactive AFP (peak B). the authors consider the present data sufficient to support the above explanation.

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Concanavalin A; Dysgerminoma; Female; Humans; Immunoelectrophoresis; Lectins; Mesonephroma; Ovarian Neoplasms; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Plant Lectins; Stomach Neoplasms

Isozymes of alkaline phosphatases (ALP) in seminoma and normal testis were separated by use of high-performance liquid chromatography and a TSK-gel phenyl-5PW column. The tissue-nonspecific (liver) ALP (LAP) was the dominating isozyme, consisting of more than 90% ALP activity. The placental ALP (PLAP)-like enzyme contributed to 4-8% of the total ALP activity. The intestinal isozyme (IAP) could not be identified. The glycosylation patterns of the isozymes were studied using concanavalin A (Con A) affinity chromatography and batch elution with competing sugar. All PLAP activity in placental extracts and LAP activity in liver extracts was bound to Con A-Sepharose. In the tumor extracts, only 50-70% of the PLAP-like enzyme and 20-50% of the LAP activity from seminomas were bound to Con A-Sepharose. A similar binding pattern of the PLAP-like enzyme and LAP was also seen in the normal testes. This variability in Con A reactivity with PLAP or the PLAP-like enzyme was also reflected in serum of seminoma patients and of pregnant women. Thus, ALP expressed in seminoma has different lectin affinity characteristics compared with the same isozyme from placenta and liver, but almost identical to ALP in the normal testes. These findings imply that the PLAP-like enzyme and LAP in the testis can be discriminated from PLAP of placenta and LAP of liver by carbohydrate lectin affinity. It also supports the concept that the increased amounts of ALP in seminomas result from the enhanced eutopic expression of enzymes normally expressed in the testis.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Chromatography, Affinity; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Concanavalin A; Dysgerminoma; Female; Glycosylation; Humans; Isoenzymes; Male; Pregnancy; Solubility; Testicular Neoplasms; Testis

Seven patients with carcinoma-in-situ of the testis were studied. Testicular biopsies were treated with eight fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated lectins, and particular attention was paid to the similarities between CIS germ cells, normal germ cells and seminoma cells. In the cytoplasm of CIS cells a large number of granularly distributed Con A and LCA binding sites was noticed, indicating the presence of mannose and N-acetyl-glucosamine in these cells. The perinuclear fluorescence observed by WGA and RCA I suggests the incorporation of N-acetyl-glucosamine and galactose into glycoproteins in cytoplasmic cell organelles of these cells. The distribution of glycoconjugates in CIS germ cells is similar to that of invasive seminoma cells confirming the malignant nature of CIS cells. However, as there are differences in lectin binding of spermatogenetic cells and CIS cells, no conclusions regarding the origin of CIS cells can be drawn.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Binding Sites; Carcinoma in Situ; Concanavalin A; Dysgerminoma; Humans; Lectins; Male; Testicular Neoplasms

Blood lymphocytes from 9 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were studied. The results were compared with those of 6 seminoma testis patients and 9 healthy unrelated controls. All patients were in complete and unmaintained remission more than 10 years after termination of radiotherapy. The mean T-lymphocyte count of HD patients was lower than that of controls and seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by pokeweed mitogen and phytohaemagglutinin was normal in both patient groups. Concanavalin A-induced DNA synthesis was low in 4 patients with HD although the mean stimulation of the group did not differ from controls or seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte activation by PPD was slightly decreased in the 2 patient groups. No increase in spontaneous lymphocyte DNA synthesis was observed. The responding and stimulatory capacity in mixed lymphocyte culture was decreased in 3 and 2 HD patients respectively. 4 out of the 9 patients with HD but none with seminoma testis displayed severe impairment in T-lymphocyte functions. As 1 of the 4 had been treated solely by surgery, late effects of irradiation can only partly explain the results. The results may favour a hypothesis postulating a constitutional defect contributing to the immunoincompetence in HD.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Concanavalin A; DNA; Dysgerminoma; Female; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Lectins; Leukocyte Count; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Lymphocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Mitogens; Prognosis; Remission, Spontaneous; Testicular Neoplasms