Influence of steroids and retinoic acid on peanut-lectin binding of human breast cancer cells

Membrane binding sites for peanut lectin or peanut agglutinin (PNA) were investigated in the established mammary carcinoma cell lines MCF-7, 734-B, ZR-75.1 and BT-20. The determination of PNA binding sites was performed in a flow cytometer after staining with fluorescein(FITC)-labeled PNA. It appeared that only the estrogen-sensitive cell lines exhibited PNA binding sites, whereas the hormone-insensitive cell line BT-20 was clearly negative. Steroid hormones, when administered singly to the cells in physiological concentrations (10(-9)-10(-8) M) had no effect on PNA binding expression. Only the combination of estradiol and progesterone together increased PNA binding sites. Pharmacological doses (10(-6) M) of medroxyprogesteroneacetate (MPA) and dexamethasone increased the number of binding sites, whereas retinoic acid decreased them. A preliminary characterization of the binding sites revealed that they have high capacity and moderate affinity for PNA (KD greater than 10(-7) M). FITC-PNA binding could be inhibited selectively by fetuin (greater than 10(-5) M) and by galactose (greater than 10(-2) M). Cytosol from MCF-7 cells and from some primary breast cancer specimens were able to decrease PNA binding to the surface of 734-B cells.