Lectin binding to oral squamous carcinoma.

Ten benign epithelial hyperplasias, ten invasive squamous carcinomas, and one each of verrucous carcinoma and carcinoma in situ of the oral mucosa were examined immunoenzymatically using biotinylated lectins and avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex to localize glycoconjugates in the epithelial cells. All of the lectins intercellularly bind to benign and malignant epithelial cells. Also, lectins bind to the cytoplasm of the basal cells and all layers of carcinoma in situ. Verrucous carcinoma shows a similar binding as does the benign epithelial hyperplasia. However, in invasive squamous carcinoma some nests and individual invasive cells show intense cytoplasmic binding and a loss of cell surface binding to lectins, especially with Con A, and may be a marker for invasive potential of squamous carcinoma.