Summary
We have demonstrated that squamous metaplasia induced by benzo(a)pyrene (BP) in the hamster tracheal explants accompany distinct alterations in carbohydrate moieties in the epithelial mucosa. Most prominent alterations were the preferential binding of peanut agglutinin (PNA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) in the basal cell layer in metaplastic lesions. In this study we examined if reversal of BP-induced lesions by all-trans retinoic acid (RA) results in the acquisition of normal carbohydrate composition by the tissue. Four lectins, PNA, WGA, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin, and Concanavalin A, in their horseradish peroxidase conjugates were used. In control explants the intercellular plasma membrane of basal and mucous cells exhibited no significant reaction with any of the lectins tested. In the metaplastic lesions induced by BP, PNA and WGA intensely stained the plasma membrane and intercellular spaces of basal and intermediate cell layers; the granular layer cells did not bind PNA whereas they were stained moderately with WGA. RA, which reversed the metaplasia, also conferred the tissue with lectin binding patterns similar to that of control explants. These results thus show that the reversal of metaplasia is accompanied by acquisition of the tissue’s original carbohydrate composition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boland, R. C.; Montgomery, C. K.; Kim, Y. S. Alterations in human colonic mucin occurring with differentiation and malignant transformation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79:2051–2055; 1982.
Boland, C. R.; Roberts, J. A.; Siddiqui, B., et al. Cancer-associated colonic mucin in cultured human tumor cells and a thymic (nude) mouse xenografts. Cancer Res. 46:5724–5729; 1986.
Chopra, D. P.; Cooney, R. A. Histogenesis of benzo(a)pyrene-induced lesions in tracheal explants. Virchows Arch. B. Cell. Pathol. 48:299–315; 1985.
Cooper, H. S.; Reuter, V. R. Peanut lectin-binding sites in polyps of the colon and rectum. Adenomas, hyperplastic polyps, and adenomas within situ carcinomas. Lab. Invest. 49:655–661; 1983.
Fitzgerald, D. J.; Kitamura, H.; Barrett, J. C., et al. Analysis of growth fractions and stain cell components in transformed rat tracheal cell colonies. Cancer Res. 46:4642–4649; 1986.
Franklin, W. A. Tissue binding of lectin in disorders of the breast. Cancer 51:295–300; 1983.
Kahn, H.; Baumal, R. Differences in lectin binding in tissue sections of human and murine malignant tumors and their metastases. Am. J. Pathol. 119:420–429; 1985.
Kitamura, H.; Fitzgerald, D. J.; Li, L. A., et al. Morphological characterization of transformed colonies in rat tracheal epithelial cell cultures exposed to carcinogen. Cancer Res. 46:4631–4641; 1986.
Louis, C. J.; Wyllie, R. G.; Chou, S. T., et al. Lectin-binding affinities of human epidermal tumors and related conditions. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 75:642–647; 1981.
Louis, C. J.; Wyllie, R. G.; Chou, S. T., et al. Lectin-binding affinities of human breast tumors. Cancer 52:1244–1250; 1983.
Mazzuca, M.; Lhermitte, M.; Lafitte, J. J., et al. Use of lectins for detection of glycoconjugates in the glandular cells of the human bronchial mucosa. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 30:956–966; 1982.
Nettesheim, P.; Terzaghi, M.; Klein-Szanto, A. J. P. Development and progression of neoplastic disease: morphologic and cell culture studies with airway epithelium. In: Harris, C. C.; Cerutt, P. A., eds. Mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis. New York: Alan R. Liss; 1982:473–489.
Nicolson, G. L. Trans-membrane control of the receptors on normal and tumor cells: II surface changes associated with transformation and malignancy. Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 458:1–72; 1976.
Nicolson, G. L.; Poste, G. The cancer cell: dynamic aspects and modification in cell surface organization. N. Engl. J. Med. 295:197–204, 253–258; 1976.
Reano, A.; Faure, M.; Jacques, Y., et al. Lectins as markers of human epidermal cell differentiation. Differentiation 22:205–210; 1982.
Saffiotti, U.; Cefism, F.; Kolbm, L. H. A method for the experimental induction of bronchiogenic carcinoma. Cancer Res. 28:104–124; 1968.
Schulte, B. A.; Spicer, S. S. Light microscopic histochemical detection of sugar residues in secretory glycoproteins of rodent and human tracheal glands with lectin-horseradish peroxidase conjugates and the galactose oxidase Schiff sequence. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 31:391–403; 1983.
Warren, L.; Buck, G. A.; Tuszynski, G. P. Glycopeptide changes and malignant transformation: a possible role for carbohydrate in malignant behavior. Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 516:97–127; 1978.
Wille, J. J.; Chopra, D. P. Reversal by retinoids of keratinization induced by benzo(a)pyrene in normal hamster tracheal explants: comparison with the assay involving organ culture of tracheas from vitamin A-deficient hamsters. Cancer Lett. 40:235–246; 1988.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by grant RO1-HL32308 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chopra, D.P., Joiakim, A.P. Alterations in sugar residues in squamous metaplasia in hamster tracheal explants induced by benzo(a)pyrene and its reversal by retinoic ACID. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol - Animal 27, 229–233 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02630921
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02630921