Lectin-resistant variants and revertants of mouse melanoma cells: Differential expression of a fucosylated cell-surface antigen and altered metastasizing capacity

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Abstract
In order to evaluate the possible role of cell‐surface carbohydrates in metastasis of tumour cells, 2 wheat‐germ agglutinin‐resistant (WGAr) variants of B16 mouse melanoma and 8 back revertants selected with other lectins were analyzed with respect to the surface expression of fucosylated carbohydrate antigens and their metastasizing capacity. The variant cells, expressing a greatly increased fucosyltransferase activity, were found to express the fucose‐containing SSEA‐I antigen on their cell surface. The revertant cells selected for lower fucosylation with Lotus tetragonolobus lectin and ricin had lost this particular antigen. Seven of the 8 revertant lines also reverted back to a state of increased metastasizing capacity as compared to the WGAr variants they were derived from. A single one of the revertants displayed reduced metastasizing capacity, suggesting that additional changes can also be present in some of the cell lines. These results suggest a possible linkage between expression of the developmental SSEA‐I antigen and reduced metastasizing capacity in the mouse melanoma model.

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