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Glycoconjugates in retinoblastoma

A lectin histochemical study of ten formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumours

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Summary

The binding of eleven biotin- or peroxidase-coupled lectins with different carbohydrate specificities to tumour tissue and remaining morphologically normal retina was studied in ten formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded human eyes with retinoblastoma. In undetached retinas, outer and inner segments of photoreceptors bound concanavalin A (ConA) as well asLens culinaris (LCA), wheat germ (WGA)Ricinus communis (RCAI) and peanut (PNA) agglutinins. Both nuclear and plexiform layers bound ConA, LCA and, in some specimens, WGA and RCAI. These results agree with those obtained with normal adult human retina, the main difference being that PNA labelled some rods in addition to cones in the retinoblastoma eyes. Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes reacted with ConA and LCA, and often with WGA, PNA and RCAI. Undifferentiated retinoblastoma cells always bound ConA and LCA, and in some tumours WGA, PNA and RCAI. Pretreatment with neuraminidase increased the number of cells that bound PNA and RCAI, but diminished binding of WGA. Pokeweed mitogen andBandeiraea simplicifolia I, Dolichos biflorus, soybean,Ulex europaeus I andLotus tetragonolobus agglutinins labelled only vascular endothelial cells. Retinoblastoma cells most closely resembled photoreceptor cells in their lectin-binding patterns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Melkonkatu 3 B 29, SF-00210, Helsinki, Finland

    Tero Kivelä

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  1. Tero Kivelä
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This study was supported by grants from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation and Rasmussens Stiftelse

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Kivelä, T. Glycoconjugates in retinoblastoma. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 410, 471–479 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00781681

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00781681

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