Surface distribution of wheat germ agglutinin binding sites of human melanoma cell lines with low and high tumorigenicity.

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding patterns of human malignant melanoma cell lines with a high or a low ability to grow subcutaneously in nude mice were compared. SDS-PAGE analysis of WGA binding glycoproteins revealed similar qualitative but different quantitative profiles. Striking differences were observed in the density of WGA binding sites, twice as high in the low tumorigenic cell line as in the high tumorigenic cell line. Differences were also observed in the topographical organization of these WGA binding sites patched on the low tumorigenic cell line and diffuse on the high tumorigenic cell line. Fluorescence photobleaching measurements showed clear-cut differences in their motion patterns.