Conjunctival cell glycoprotein pattern of healthy persons and of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome--light microscopical investigation using lectin probes.

Formalin-fixed biopsies of conjunctival tissue from the lower fornix of 10 healthy persons and of 10 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS) were examined by light microscopy. Deparaffinized, rehydrated sections of 5 microns were incubated overnight, each with one of 15 different biotinylated lectins. Bound lectins were visualized using avidin-HRP-substrate complexes. Five lectins did not bind to conjunctival cells, and further six lectins bound in an unspecific manner to conjunctival cells of both healthy persons and of primary SS patients. Jacalin lectin bound selectively to goblet cells of all specimens. Peanut agglutinin (PNA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) bound significantly stronger to basal conjunctival epithelial cells of patients with primary SS. This binding pattern may be of diagnostic value.