LECTIN-HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF O-LINKED GLYCOCONJUGATES IN DYSPLASTIC RETINA OF NORRIE DISEASE

The carbohydrate chains of O-linked glycoconjugates in dysplastic reti na from a Japanese female infant with Norrie disease were examined by lectin histochemistry. The avidin-biotinylated peroxidase method was u sed. The retina was highly dysplastic and composed of undifferentiated embryonic tissues containing a number of rosettes of varying sizes. T he lumina of the rosettes were stained by peanut agglutinin, which rec ognizes the Gal beta 1,3GalNAc sequence of O-linked glycans. However, the lumina were not labeled by wheat germ agglutinin, which reacts wit h sialic acid and/or N-acetylglucosamine. These observations suggest t hat the O-linked glycoconjugates in the lumina of rosettes were not si alylated in the present case. Their lack of terminal sialic acids may be related to the rosette formation.