LECTIN CYTOCHEMISTRY IN THE EXFOLIATIVE CYTOLOGY OF UTERINE CERVIX

A lectin was isolated from the seeds of jack fruit (Artocarpus integri folia) and purified using a column of immobilized N-acetyl-D-galactosa mine. This jack fruit lectin (JFL) was then conjugated to horse-radish peroxidase (HRP) type VI and used to study the cell surface carbohydr ate profile of the cytological smears of the uterine cervix using diam inobenzidine as substrate. Cervical smears from is healthy individuals and 65 patients with dysplasia, carcinoma in situ and carcinoma of ut erine cenix were used for the study. Normal cells showed weak binding in the membrane as well as cytoplasm, whereas carcinomatous cells show ed strong binding towards JFL. Carcinoma in situ cells showed a bindin g pattern similar to that of carcinoma. Dysplastic cells showed differ ence in binding in mild, moderate and severe dysplasia. The intensity of binding increased with the severity of the dysplasia. The nature an d intensity of binding of jack fruit lectin with cancer tissues sugges t that this lectin may be of use as a diagnostic aid in exfoliative cy tology.