Previous studies have suggested that mucin gene expression is tissue-specific; however, the relationship between unique mucin gene products and the biochemical properties of mucins is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the biochemical and molecular characteristics of mucin synthesized by adenocarcinoma cell lines derived from breast (ZR-75-1), stomach (MGC-803), pancreas (Capan-2), and lung (Chago K-1). Mucin was quantitated by [3H]glucosamine labeling and Sepharose CL-4B chromatography. The mucinous nature of the labeled high molecular weight glycoproteins (HMG) was verified by alkaline borohydride treatment, cesium chloride density gradient ultracentrifugation, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specific mucin gene expression was determined using cDNA probes for 2 distinct intestinal mucins (MUC-2 and MUC-3) and one breast cancer mucin (MUC-1). Specific core mucin proteins were confirmed by immunoblots using antibodies that recognize MUC-1, MUC-2, and MUC-3 core peptides. These experiments demonstrate that all cell lines contained HMG in the medium, cytosol, and membrane fractions. The HMG was mucinous in breast, pancreatic, and lung cell lines. In contrast, most of the HMG secreted by the gastric cell line was proteoglycan-like, due to its susceptibility to hyaluronidase, heparinase, and chondroitinase avidin-biotin complex. Ion-exchange (DEAE-Sephacel) chromatography of [3H]glucosamine-labeled HMG demonstrated that the acidic or basic nature of the mucin was different in all cancer cell lines tested. Despite these differences, mRNA and immunoblot analysis suggest that all cell lines predominantly express MUC-1 apomucin, small amounts of MUC-2 apomucin, and no MUC-3. Immunoprecipitation of MUC-1-type mucin using the 139H2 monoclonal antibody demonstrated that different sizes of mucin peptides were present in all cell lines, corresponding to the known length polymorphism of this mucin. The amount and nature of carbohydrate epitopes were analyzed by immunoblots using anti-T (peanut lectin), anti-Tn (91S8 monoclonal antibody), and anti-sialosyl Tn (JT10e monoclonal antibody). T and Tn antigens were significantly higher in breast and pancreatic cells as compared with lung and gastric cell lines. These findings correlated with increased activities of polypeptidyl N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase and beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)