A review of studies in our laboratory regarding ELLA methodology for the study of cell surface carbohydrates from tumors of varying metastatic potential.

An enzyme-linked lectin assay, termed ELLA, has been developed to investigate differences in cell surface carbohydrate groups on the surface of murine fibrosarcoma cells of varying metastatic potential. We have conjugated alkaline phosphatase to Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 and have obtained an enzymatically-active probe for the detection of alpha-D-galactopyranosyl end groups. This probe has been used to detect different levels of expression of alpha-D-Galp end groups on the surface of unfixed murine tumor cell lines. Using the ELLA technique we have been able to demonstrate a correlation between the amount of these carbohydrate groups present on the cell surface and the degree of malignancy of the cell lines. Preliminary data suggest that the glycoprotein laminin accounts for a significant proportion of the cell surface alpha-D-Galp groups on these tumor cells and may play a functional role in their ability to metastasize. Furthermore, we have used ELLA to measure the binding of exogenous laminin to laminin-deficient cell lines and have found that this results in an increased ELLA reactivity. This increase corresponds to previously described increases in the malignant behavior of these cells after addition of exogenous laminin.