Occurrence and distribution of glycoconjugates in human tissues as detected by the Erythrina cristagalli lectin.

We applied a horseradish peroxidase-Erythrina cristagalli agglutinin (HRP-ECA) conjugate for histochemical staining of tissue sections from various formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tissue specimens. The HRP-ECA conjugate showed broad reactivity, but there was a distinct distribution of native (not masked by sialic acid) and sialic acid-masked ECA binding sites in the various organs. Free ECA binding sites could be detected on red blood cells, lymphocytes of thymus, tonsil, lymph node, and in mucous substances of different organs. Independent of blood group type, the vascular endothelium exhibited strong ECA reactivity. Free ECA binding sites occurred in the cytoplasm of Kupffer's cells in liver, in histiocytic cells of thymus, lymph node, tonsil, and in bone marrow. Podocytes of kidney glomerulus, syncytiotrophoblasts of placenta, megakaryocytes in bone marrow, myelin sheath of nerve, medullary thymocytes, and hepatocytes, as well as islet cells of pancreas, contained only sialic acid-capped ECA binding sites. Inhibiting studies with galactose, lactose, and N-acetyl-lactosamine, as well as other sugars, revealed that this lectin is specific for galactosyl residues. In comparison to galactose and lactose, N-acetyl-lactosamine exhibited the highest inhibitory activity on lectin binding, supporting the concept that this lectin is most reactive with N-acetyl-lactosamine-type (type 2 chain) glycoconjugates.