concanavalin-a and Respiratory-Tract-Neoplasms

Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity and fluorescein-labeled lectins Concanavalin A (Con A) and Ricinus communis-120 binding sites were studied in lesions produced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene during chemical carcinogenesis using syngeneic heterotopic rat tracheal transplants. Although all types of lesions showed positive GGT activity and lectin binding, prominent differences were observed between the different types of lesions. Compared with regular squamous metaplasia, dysplastic-neoplastic lesions showed much stronger reaction for GGT and lectins; normal and hyperplastic mucociliary epithelium showed intermediate reactions. Although the relationship between keratinization, cell surface changes, GGT activity and lectin binding are not completely clear, lectins seem to be good markers of dysplastic and neoplastic lesions of the respiratory tract epithelium.

Topics: 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; Animals; Binding Sites; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Concanavalin A; Epithelium; Female; gamma-Glutamyltransferase; Lectins; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Respiratory Tract Neoplasms