A LECTIN HISTOCHEMICAL-STUDY OF INTRAHEPATIC DUCTS IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATOLITHIASIS

A panel of 12 biotinylated lectins was used to investigate the diversi ty of glycoconjugate on the epithelium of stone-containing intrahepati c bile ducts and compared to controls. Among the 12 lectins, only WGA (wheat germ agglutinin) and Con A (concanavalin agglutinin) stained th e epithelium of stone-containing intrahepatic ducts. Con A, a glucose/ mannose-specific lectin, bound weakly on the epithelium of the stone-b earing intrahepatic duct in 10 of the 25 specimens, but none of the co ntrols. All stone-containing intrahepatic bile ducts were stained heav ily and homogenously by WGA, the N-acetylglucosamine-specific lectin. The high columnar epithelia of both intramural and extramural glands w ere stained in the supranuclear region, while the serous acini of extr amural glands were stained in whole cytoplasm. The epithelium of intra hepatic ducts from the controls was stained weakly by WGA only. The WG A receptors were not abolished by pretreatment of neuraminidase. This led us to conclude that the stone-containing intrahepatic ducts were r ich in N-acetylglucosamine and the heavy and homogenous staining with WGA will be indicative of hypersecretion of mucus from stone-bearing i ntrahepatic bile ducts.