Retinoic acid and methotrexate specifically increase PHA‐E‐lectin binding to a 67‐kDa glycoprotein in LA‐N‐1 human neuroblastoma cells

Retinoic acid (RA) decreased growth and increased morphologic differentiation of human neuroblastoma LA‐N‐1 cells. These phenomena correlated with a specific enhancement of PHA‐E lectin binging to a glycoprotein of MW 67 kDa (gp67). Gp67 was found susceptible to N‐glycanase and displayed BSA binding by affinity chromatography analysis. The chemotherapeutic agent methotrexate (MTX) also reduced growth and induce differentiation of LA‐N‐1 cells. In addition, the cells responded to MTX as well as to doxorubicin by a marked increase in PHA‐E binding to gp67. We conclude that reduced growth and induction of morphological differentiation of LA‐N‐1 cells correlated with increased binding of PHA‐E to gp67. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss Inc.