Lectin binding patterns in normal, metaplastic, and neoplastic gastric mucosa.

We investigated lectin binding patterns on tissue specimens of normal and metaplastic gastric surface mucosae, gastric adenomas, and intestinal and diffuse-type gastric carcinomas. Compared with normal gastric mucosa, metaplastic mucosa exhibited an increase of ConA binding and decreases of WGA, PNA, UEA-1, and DBA binding in the cytoplasm, and decreases of ConA, PNA, and UEA-1 binding at the luminal surface. Intestinal carcinomas were similar to metaplastic gastric surface mucosa in ConA, WGA, and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm, while diffuse-type carcinomas were similar to normal gastric mucosa in WGA and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm. Adenomas were similar to intestinal carcinomas in ConA and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm, but were different from intestinal carcinomas in Con A and UEA-1 binding at the luminal surface. For UEA-1, normal and metaplastic gastric surface mucosae did not show a significant difference between the blood type A, AB, B group and the O group. Intestinal and diffuse carcinomas and adenomas also did not show such a difference between the blood groups. For DBA, normal gastric surface mucosa showed a significant difference between the blood type B, O group and the A, AB group. Normal gastric mucosa of the blood type A, AB group was frequently positive for DBA binding in the cytoplasm and at the luminal surface. Metaplastic mucosa did not show a significant difference between the blood groups. Intestinal and diffuse-type carcinomas and adenomas also did not show a difference between the blood groups. DBA binding in the cytoplasm of intestinal carcinomas and adenomas was more frequently positive than that of normal and metaplastic mucosae, except for normal gastric mucosa of the blood type A, AB group. Compared with diffuse-type carcinomas, intestinal carcinomas were accompanied by a significant increase of ConA binding and decreases of WGA and PNA binding in the cytoplasm.