Differential agglutination of P388 adriamycin-sensitive and P388 adriamycin-resistant leukemia cells.

Cell surface modification was studied in a subline of murine leukemia resistant to adriamycin (P388/ADR). Lectin-induced agglutination was used as a probe. Agglutination was studied using two plant lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I). A 7-fold higher amount of WGA and 14-fold higher amount of RCA-I were required to bring about minimum agglutination of P388/S as compared to P388/ADR. The present studies clearly indicate a change in the plasma membrane of P388/ADR cells.