Changes in distribution of lectin receptors in macrophages activated by Nocardia water soluble molecules.

Lectin-histochemical studies were performed on macrophages activated by Nocardia opaca water soluble molecules (NWSM) and elicited by phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as control to demonstrate the pattern of carbohydrate residues. Ten different biotinylated lectins were used as probes and avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) was used as visualizer. The lectins wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-I (GS-I) stained macrophages only after activation by NWSM and not macrophages elicited by PBS. Both macrophages did not stain by succinylated wheat germ agglutinin (S-WGA). The difference in lectin-binding patterns between NWSM-activated and PBS-elicited macrophages, suggests that activation of macrophages by the NWSM is associated with modification in the distribution of specific membrane carbohydrates, including enhancement in the expression of sialyl and alpha-galactosyl residues.