Binding capacities of two immunomodulatory lectins, carrier- immobilized glycoligands and steroid hormones in lung cancer and the concentration of nitrite/nitrate in pleural effusions

Journal/Book: Lung Cancer 14, 75-84. 1996;

Abstract: Combined analysis of the binding properties of inflammatory and tumorcells in pleural effusion, and tumor imprints for variouscarrier-immobilized types of ligands and lectins, and of a biochemicalfeature of the effusions is performed to extend the characterization ofthese cells and their activity. In detail, the binding of Viscum albumagglutinin (VAA), Urtica dioica agglutinin (UDA), and ofcarrier-immobilized N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), lysogangliosideGM1, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and hydrocortisone to nativespecimens consisting of 46 tumor imprints from surgically treatedpatients with lung cancer and 74 smears of pleural effusion (PE) cellsfrom cancer or non-cancer patients was studied using fluorescencemicroscopy with Texas red-labeled streptavidin. Among the testedligands, VAA was found to provide the most effective staining of cells(60-78.1% of positive cases). When compared with inflammatory cells fromPE, cancer cells were seen to bind more frequently only two ligands,namely UDA and estradiol. Significant (P < 0.001) difference betweenpatients with bronchial carcinoma and non-cancer patients were found,when the content of NO2-/NO3- in PE fluids was measured. Whereas thelevel of NO2-/NO3- in PE of non-cancer patients was 12.6 +/- 10.7 microM(n = 12), it was 37.7 +/- 19.4 microM (n = 14) in cancer patientswithout pleural metastases and 37.5 +/- 16.0 microM (n = 26) in patientswith pleural metastases. The level of NO2-/NO3- in PE appeared tocorrelate with extent of staining with GM1 and GlcNAc: in non-cancerpatient groups it was significantly higher (P = 0.032) for negativesubjects than those binding the ligand GlcNAc, whereas in the patientgroup with adenocarcinoma it was significantly lower (P = 0.032) forpatients without binding capacities for GlcNAc and GM1. The resultsobtained suggest that the combined analysis of increased levels ofNO2-/NO3- in PE and of glycohistochemical properties of cancer andinflammatory cells may be useful in exploring the interrelationship offunctionally important cellular characteristics. Author.

Keyword(s): ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE/ ME (metabolism)

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