Diminished hepatic binding protein for desialylated glycoproteins during chemical hepatocarcinogenesis.

The lectin hepatic binding protein has a specific binding capacity for desialylated serum glycoproteins and is limited to hepatocyte membranes. This binding capacity was reduced by approximately 60% in the neoplastic nodules which resulted from exposure of rat livers to N-2-acetylaminofluorene. The binding capacity of the primary hepatocellular carcinomas which resulted from this regimen was reduced by 95%. The loss of binding capacity was found to be proportional to the decreased concentration of immunologically detectable lectin in the altered tissues.