Histochemical methods for the demonstration of thomsen-friedenreich antigen in cell suspensions and tissue sections

Abstract

1. Three different methods are described for the visualisation of the Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) antigen on cell suspensions, formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded or frozen tissue sections: a) Rosette formation with chicken and sheep erythrocytes. b) Fluorescence-microscopy with fluorescein labelled peanut agglutinin. c) Autoradiography with 3H-labelled peanut agglutinin. 2. The TF antigen was shown, as far as presently investigated, to be exposed on various blood cells, glomerula of the kidney and normal mammary gland after neuraminidase treatment. Mammary gland was also shown to possess TF receptors without prior treatment with neuraminidase. 3. The exposure of this cryptantigen can be brought about by bacterial or viral neuraminidase and is followed by an antigen/antibody reaction, which can lead to possible pathological consequences.

A study on peanut lectin-binding sites in mucoepidermoid tumors of the oral cavity.

“…COOPER explains that human colonic sialic acid may be very resistant to digestion by neuraminidase pretreatment. However, we were able to demonstrate the expression of the cryptic Tag in serous acinar cells of normal salivary glands after the tissue sections were pretreated with neuraminidase, confirming the studies by BOLAND [8] and KLEIN [3].…”

“…Although BOLAND [8] and KLEIN [3] failed to express the Tag and the cryptic Tag in normal colon, COOPER [7] reported the localization of the cryptic Tag in normal epithelium of the colon. COOPER explains that human colonic sialic acid may be very resistant to digestion by neuraminidase pretreatment.…”

“…The Tag is present on the surface of red blood cells and lymphocytes, and is covered with terminal sialic acid (so-called cryptic Tag) [3,4].…”

Extracellular matrix promotes mammary epithelial growth and differentiation in vitro.

“…In the undifferentiated gland, this disaccharide is masked by sialic acid; the sialic acid is removed during differentiation. Thus, in the absence of neuraminidase pretreatment, binding of this lectin is a marker of mammary epithelial differentiation (23,24). Using a combination of [3H]thymidine autoradiography and peanut lectin binding, we have been able to follow both cell growth and differentiation.…”

“…Lactose was assayed by the colorimetric assay of Coffey and Reithel (22) as described by Burwen and Pitelka (12). Binding of fluoresceinconjugated peanut lectin from Arachis hypogaea (Sigma) was studied on air-dried or fixed dishes either with or without neuraminidase pretreatment (23,24). Cultures were plated on the indicated matrix, and at indicated times they were harvested in 1% Triton X-100/1% deoxycholate and an aliquot was assayed for a-lactalbumin and for DNA.…”