Binding of Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I in polyposis coli: comparative study with solitary adenoma in the sigmoid colon and rectum.

Our previous lectin-binding study of the human colorectal mucosa revealed that, in the distal large bowel, Ulex europaeus agglutinin-L (UEA-l) binding was detectable in adenocarcinomas and adenomas, whereas it usually was not found in the normal epithelium. The aim of the present study was to obtain further information about the chemical nature of the constituents of the epithelium in polyposis coli and solitary colorectal adenoma. UEA-l binding to demonstrate alpha-L-fucosyl residue-containing glycoproteins was conducted on entire colon specimens from 4 patients with polyposis coli and on polypectomy specimens from 23 patients with solitary adenomas of the sigmoid colon and rectum with the use of a highly sensitive lectin-antilectin immunoperoxidase method. In the rectosigmoid area of all 4 patients with polyposis coli, positive UEA-l staining was observed not only in the adenomatous epithelium but also in the nonneoplastic epithelium intervening between the polyps. In contrast, in 18 of 23 patients with solitary adenomas, positive UEA-l staining was observed only in the adenomatous epithelium but not in the adjacent nonneoplastic epithelium. In the remaining 5 solitary adenomas, UEA-l staining was shown neither in the adenomatous epithelium nor in the adjacent nonneoplastic epithelium.