All animal cells have glycoconjugates on their cell surface which play vital roles in various cell function i.e., receptor, cell growth, differentiation and interaction with cellular environments. Recently, lectins which bind specific sugar residues of glycoconjugate gained popularity in histochemical study of cell membrane.
We examined various lectin binding patterns in 12 cases of normal skin, 11 cases of psoriasis, 6 cases of psoriasiform dematitis, 5 cases of warts, and 6 cases of pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, using avidin biotin peroxidase complex method.
The results obtained are as follows:
1. Of the 8 lectin, Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCAI), Con-
canavalin (Con-A) and Peanut agglutinin (PNA) showed positive binding in the skin tissues.
2. Psoriasis and disease showing epidermal hyperplasia revealed altered lectin staining pattern com-
pared with normal skin.
3. Con-A staining in the normal skin disappeared in psoriasis.
4. PNA lost its staining in the psoriasis.
5. Positive staining pattern of RCAI in the basal layer in the normal skin extended up to the stratum spinosum in the psoriasis.
6. Uninvolved psoriatic skin revealed same lectin binding as the normal skin.
7. Comparing with psoriasis, other diseases showing epithelial hyperplasia manifested no common lectin binding patterns according to degree of hyperplasia.
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