Lectins as markers of rumen epithelial cell differentiation

Abstract

Lectins of different carbohydrate specificities (GNA (Galanthus nivalis), con A (Canavalia ensiformis), VFL (Vicia faba), PSL (Pisum sativum), LCA (Lens culinaris), PNA (Arachis hypogaea; with or without prior neuraminidase treatment), WGA (Triticum vulgare), SBA (Glycine max), UEA-I (Ulex europaeus), LPA (Limulus polyphemus), BS-I B4 (Bandeiraea simplicifolia, isolectin B4)) were explored for use as differentiation markers of rumen epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro. Lectins specific for mannose (GNA), mannose/glucose (con A, VFL, PSL and LCA), N-acetylglucosamine (WGA) or for N-acetylneuraminic acid (LPA) reacted generally with all types of rumen epithelial cell from both rumen tissue and cell culture. They were, therefore, not suitable markers of epithelial differentiation. SBA was unsuitable because, although it reacted with both tissue and cultured rumen epithelial cells, it was also bound to non-stratified areas of primary rumen epithelial cell cultures. Both BS-I B4 and PNA (after neuraminidase treatment) had to be ruled out because they did not react with differentiated rumen tissue epithelial cells, although they did bind to both stratified and non-stratified cultured cells. In contrast, UEA-I reacted strongly with differentiated rumen epithelial cells both from rumen tissue and cell cultures and therefore appears to be a good general marker for rumen epithelial cell differentiation.

Lectin Binding Pattern of Gastric Mucosa of Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens

“…This difference in binding specificity was not surprising, given that lectin reactivity is affected by the stage of cell migration [23]. The superficial layer cells differentiate from the basal cells during migration to the luminal surface, where reactivity with the lectins may change [17].…”

Glycoconjugates and keratin 18 define subsets of taste cells

“…Lectins provide a means of visualizing glycoconjugate distributional patterns in tissue sections. Although lectins often bind extensively to epithelial ceils, the more selective staining with some lectins can serve to identify different cells and stages of ceil differentiation (Brabec et al, 1980;Brown et al, 1987;Shimizu et al, 1991;Suter et al, 1991;Gargiulo et aI., 1993;Neogrady et al, 1994;Takami et al, 1994). Histological patterns of lectin binding in gustatory tissues have been examined in catfish and frog (Witt & Reutter, 1988) rabbit (Witt & Miller, 1992) and hamster (Ohmura et al, 1989).…”

Lectin UEA-I-Binding Proteins Are Specifically Increased in the Squamous Epithelium of Patients with Barrett’s Esophagus

“…Lectins play various biological roles in mammals, from the regulation of cell adhesion and glycoprotein synthesis and the binding of soluble extra- and intracellular glycoproteins to providing barrier function [19,20,21,22,23]. This latter aspect was demonstrated in an animal model, where acid exposure resulted in specific lectin-binding changes which in turn lead to a reduction in electrical resistance [22].…”