The lectins Concanavalin A (Con A). Ricinus
communis agglutinin (RCA-1), Peanut agglutinin (PNA)
and Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) as well as the
irnmunomarkers for glial fibrillary acidic protein
(GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were used in a
series of 21 glial turnors (4 pylocytic astrocytornas, 5
grade 11 astrocytornas, 3 anaplastic astrocytornas, 4
glioblastornas and 5 oligodendrogliornas).
ConA binds to al1 tumoral astrocytes in low grade
astrocytomas, as well as to well differentiated tumoral
astrocytes in anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastornas.
RCA-1 has a similar behaviour. PNA, and to a lesser
degree WGA, binds selectively to the oligodendroglial
plasma membrane in well differentiated oligodendrogliomas.
The results suggest that these lectins
are markers of differentiation in gliomas rather than
of malignancy