SIALOGLYCOCONJUGATES IN PRIMARY AND RECURRENT MIXED TUMORS OF LACRIMAL GLANDS

We examined the activity of Griffonia simplicifolia II agglutinin (GS2 ) before and after neuraminidase treatment in 2 cases of primary benig n mixed tumor (BMT) and a case of recurrent mixed tumor (MT). Histolog ically, each type of MT is comprised of epithelial and mesenchymal com ponents. GS2, which showed no binding to either structural component i n the primary BMT, was specifically bound to the mesenchymal component in the recurrent MT. After neuraminidase treatment, there was a marke d increase in GS2-binding levels in the epithelial component of the pr imary BMT and in both components of the recurrent MT. These results mi ght reveal a prominent sialylation in the recurrent MT.