Urtica dioica agglutinin, a new mitogen for murine T lymphocytes: unaltered interleukin-1 production but late interleukin 2-mediated proliferation

Urtica dioica agglutinin, a small-molecular-weight lectin purified from stinging nettle rhizomes, induces murine cell proliferation. U. dioica agglutinin is a specific T-cell mitogen for both thymocytes and spleen T lymphocytes; its mitogenic properties are strictly dependent on the presence of accessory cells. The kinetics of proliferation are markedly different from those of the classical T-cell mitogen concanavalin A, with a 2 to 3-day delay for both splenic and thymic populations and a rate of DNA synthesis twofold lower than that observed with concanavalin A. The late T-lymphocyte proliferation induced by U. dioica agglutinin correlates well with (i) the observed late interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression, and (ii) the long-lasting cyclosporin A-sensitive early activation period. In contrast, the production of interleukin-1 is not different, both in terms of concentration and kinetics, from that observed with concanavalin A.     

Stimulation of IL-8 production by Aralia cordate lectin in human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells

Some lectins are known to stimulate interleukin-8 (IL-8) productions in human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells. Since IL-8 may cause deleterious effects, we examined this stimulatory activity of Aralia cordate lectin (ACL) and Wasabia japonica lectin (WJL), both of which we isolated recently. The results indicate that ACL exhibited strong stimulatory activity for IL-8 protein production, while WJL showed marginal activity. The activity of ACL was associated with high enhancement of IL-8 gene expression. The effect of ACL was abolished almost completely in the presence of brefeldin A, indicating that internalization into cells is necessary for ACL to exert activity. The findings suggest that ingestion of a large amount of raw vegetable Aralia cordate might cause unfavorable effects on the colon.     

Mitogenic activity and immunological properties of bolesatine,a lectin isolated from the mushroom Boletus satanas Lenz

• 1.1. A lectin has been purified from the mushroom Boletus satanas Lenz.
• 2.2. The protein, called bolesatine, is mitogenic for human T lymphocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
• 3.3. Optimal mitogenic doses induce the release of interleukin-1α and interleukin-2 from mononuclear cell cultures.

     

Activation of spleen cells by ArtinM may account for its immunomodulatory properties

ArtinM is a D-mannose-binding lectin extracted from Artocarpus heterophyllus that promotes interleukin-12 production by macrophages and dendritic cells. This property is considered responsible for T helper 1 immunity induced in vivo after ArtinM administration. In this study, we investigated the effect of native (jArtinM) and recombinant (rArtinM) forms of lectin on murine spleen cells and isolated T lymphocytes. We found that ArtinM binds to the surface of spleen cells. This interaction, which was blocked by D-mannose, induced cell activation, as manifested by increased mitochondrial activity, interleukin-2 production, and cell proliferation. We verified that a 30-times higher concentration of rArtinM was required to trigger optimal activation of spleen cells compared with that needed with jArtinM, although these proteins have identical sugar recognition properties and use the same signaling molecules to trigger cell activation. Because the distinction between native and recombinant is restricted to their tertiary structure (tetrameric and monomeric, respectively), we postulated that the multi-valence of jArtinM accounts for its superiority in promoting clustering of cell surface glycoreceptors and activation. The jArtinM and rArtinM activation effect exerted on spleen cells was reproduced on purified CD4⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that ArtinM interaction with T cells leads to responses that may act in concert with the interleukin-12 produced by antigen-presenting cells to modulate immunity toward the T helper 1 axis. Further studies are necessary to dissect ArtinM/T-cell interactions to more fully understand the immunomodulation induced by carbohydrate recognition.     

Recombinant human interleukins IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-7 show different and specific calcium-independent carbohydrate-binding properties

A method was developed for the determination of putative lectin activities of cytokines. It involved the immunoblotting measurement of the quantity of these cytokines unbound to a series of different immobilized glycoconjugates and displacement of the bound cytokines with oligosaccharides of known structures. This method allows demonstrating that the following interleukins specifically recognize different oligosaccharide structures in a calcium-independent mechanism: interleukin-1alpha binds to the biantennary disialylated N-glycan completed with two Neu5Acalpha2-3 residues; interleukin-1beta to a GM4 sialylated glycolipid Neu5Acalpha2-3Galbeta1-Cer having very long and unusual long-chain bases; interleukin-4 to the 1,7 intramolecular lactone of N-acetyl-neuraminic acid; interleukin-6 to compounds having N-linked and O-linked HNK-1-like epitopes; and interleukin-7 to the sialyl-Tn antigen. Because the glycan ligands are rare structures in human circulating cells, it is suggested that such activities could be essential for providing specific signaling systems to cells having both the receptors and the oligosaccharide ligands of the interleukin at their cell surface.     

Stimulation of IFN-γ production by garlic lectin in mouse spleen cells: Involvement of IL-12 via activation of p38 MAPK and ERK in macrophages

Several lectins, present in beans and edible plant products, have immuno-potentiating and anti-tumor activities. We here report the effects of garlic lectin purified from garlic bulbs on the production of cytokines such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the mouse. Garlic lectin induced IFN-γ production in spleen cells in a bell-shaped time (24-60 h)- and concentration (0.25-2.0 mg/ml)-dependent manner. The maximal enhancement was observed at 36 h with 0.5 mg/ml of garlic lectin. The stimulatory effect of garlic lectin on IFN-γ production was completely inhibited by both actinomycin D and cycloheximide, an inhibitor of ribosomal protein synthesis and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, respectively, and was associated with an increase in IFN-γ mRNA level. Garlic lectin also induced IL-12 production in mouse peritoneal macrophages in a concentration (0.25-1.0 mg/ml)- and bell-shaped time (3-24 h)-dependent manner. The lectin increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in macrophages. Furthermore, specific pharmacological inhibitors of ERK kinase (U0126) and p38 MAPK (SB203580) also suppressed the production of IL-12 induced by garlic lectin. The present findings suggest that garlic lectin induces IL-12 production via activation of p38 MAPK and ERK in mouse macrophages, which, in turn, stimulates IFN-γ production through an increase in IFN-γ mRNA in the spleen cells.     

Lectin staining of cultured CNS microglia.

Carbohydrate binding proteins, known as lectins, bind to specific sugar groups on most membranes. We used fluorescent and light microscopy to study the interaction of various lectins with the membranes of microglia cultured from neonatal rat or fetal mouse cerebral cortices. Microglia stained intensely with GS-1, RCA, WGA, and ConA and slightly with DBA, UEA, BPA, and SBA. No staining was seen with GS-2, MPA, or PNA. Staining was specific for microglia in the mixed glial cultures and was dose dependent. In addition, microglial lectin binding could be reduced or blocked by competitive inhibition using specific sugars. Treatment of the microglia with agents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interferon (IFN), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not eliminate lectin staining, although the degree of staining was altered. Positive staining of the microglia was also associated with a functional change for at least one lectin, i.e., ConA. Superoxide anion production by microglia was increased in the presence of ConA. Overall, binding of the lectins GS-1, RCA, WGA, and ConA can be used as an identifying tool for microglia in glial cultures, but intensity of staining varies depending on their functional state.     

Wheat germ agglutinin uptake by cytotoxic lymphocytes,a quantitative model of receptor-mediated endocytosis

Summary The binding and uptake of fluorescence labeled wheat germ agglutinin into cytotoxic T-cells was measured by single cell cytophotometric analysis. The intensity of fluorescence in these cells increased continuously over 24 hrs, indicating a permanent turnover of the ligands for WGA. Although the labeling of the cells was intense, no change in the proliferation rate of this interleukin-2 dependent cell line was observed. Therefore no interaction between the interleukin-2 receptor and other receptors regulating the cellular proliferation with the lectin is likely.Abbreviations au arbitary units - CTLL-1 murine cytotoxic interleukin-2 dependent cell line - FCS fetal calf serum - FITC fluoresceinisothiocyanate - HEPES hydroxyethylpiperazine-ethanesulfonic acid - MHC major histocompatibility complex - WGA wheat germ agglutinin     

Determination of lectin characteristics by a novel agglutination technique.

A technique generally applicable for the determination of lectin characteristics is described. A sensitive light transmission/scattering method was adapted for the determination of lectin levels and lectin activity. Applying this procedure Geodia cydonium lectin-mediated agglutination was studied in an agglutimeter device using erythrocytes and even T-lymphocytes. In the Geodia lectin/T-lymphocyte system chosen, (i) a lectin concentration as low as 0.57 micrograms/ml could be measured accurately, (ii) the observed cell agglutination velocity constant with a maximal value of 0.75 min-1 was calculated, and (iii) the size of the agglutinates at a given lectin concentration and time period was estimated. The Geodia lectin activity was determined in parallel also in the erythrocyte system. Here, compared to the lectin/T-lymphocyte system the agglutination efficiency of the Geodia lectin-mediated agglutination was more than 10-fold higher and the lowest detectable lectin concentration was 0.06 micrograms/ml. Compared to the hemagglutination assay the lectin/erythrocyte system turns out to be more sensitive and to give much more information on agglutination behavior; this conclusion is supported by additional data using a second lectin isolated from Pellina semitubulosa. The superiority of the agglutination method described here over other known methods must be seen in its accuracy; moreover more lectin characteristics can be determined.     

Purification and some properties of a lectin from the seeds ofTrichosanthes anguina

A galactose-binding lectin was isolated in electrophoretically pure form from the seeds of the snake gourd,Trichosanthes anguina, by affinity chromatography on an immobilised lactose column, as well as on a cross-linkedGuar Gum column. The lectin agglutinates native erythrocytes of human A, B and 0 phenotypes and of rabbit, rat and mouse. The molecular mass of the lectin, as estimated bySephadex G-200 gel chromatography, is 49 kDa. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, after reduction with β-mercaptoethanol, revealed two polypeptide chains linked by disulphide bonds in the lectin molecule. It contains no covalently linked sugars. Amino acid analysis of the lectin revealed a high content of acidic amino acids, relatively lower proportion of basic amino acids and traces of cysteine and methionine. The lectin has good thermal stability, and is inactivated when oxidised by metaperiodate.     

Purification of Lectin from Micropropagated Roots Derived from Aseptic Seedling of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Canavalia ensiformis</Emphasis> L.

A well-organized protocol has been developed for high frequency root germination from the seed of Canavalia ensiformis on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Surprisingly, the seeds that were grown on the MS medium having no growth hormone showed the best response. Roots of 30 days old aseptic seedling were homogenized and a lectin from them was purified on Sephadex G-50 affinity column. The finding that final product is a pure lectin was confirmed by specific hemagglutinating property. The final root lectin yield was 0.6% and eluted as a single peak. Root lectin specific activity was 50 times more than the seed lectin. Sugar specificity activity by hemagglutination-inhibition assay indicated that lectin belongs to glucose/mannose-specific group. Interestingly, the lectin was found to be 25 kDa, similar to molecular mass of Concanavalin A purified from seed of C. ensiformis, as revealed by SDS–PAGE. Thus, Concanavalin A from either source can be used for development of transgenic crops that are capable of expressing lectin gene and hence can efficiently perform biological nitrogen fixation by giving rise to nodules in their root. The advantage of this method is that purification of Concanavalin A in tissue culture conditions is easier, handy and is less time consuming.     

The binding of fucose-containing glycoproteins by hepatic lectins. Purification of a fucose-binding lectin from rat liver

A lectin with a high affinity for binding ligands through fucose residues has been purified to homogeneity from rat liver. Affinity chromatography of the lectin on fucosyl-bovine serum albumin-agarose is the key step in the purification. Contaminating amounts of a previously described lectin that binds mannose and N-acetylglucosamine are removed from the fucose-binding lectin by either immunoadsorption on anti-mannose/N-acetylglucosamine lectin IgG-agarose or by specific elution of the fucose-binding lectin from fucosyl-bovine serum albumin-agarose. The pure fucose-binding lectin contains two polypeptide subunits with molecular weights of 88,000 and 77,000, respectively, as judged by gel electrophoresis. Peptide maps of the subunits, however, show that they are very similar structurally. In addition, peptide maps show that the fucose lectin is structurally distinct from other rat hepatic lectins. This is supported by the lack of cross-reaction among the different rat liver lectins and their specific antibodies and the inability of specific antibodies to the mannose/N-acetylglucosamine lectin to inhibit the binding of fucosyl-bovine serum albumin by the fucose lectin.     

The effect of lectins on Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst in vitro attachment to host cells

The influence of lectins on Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst agglutination and on attachment to both fixed Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells and fixed HCT-8 (human colorectal epithelial) cells was examined. Oocyst cell wall characteristics were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Lectin-free oocysts were shown to adhere equally to both MDCK cells and HCT-8 cells. In MDCK cells, the addition of 1-25 microg/ml Codium fragile lectin, 10 microg/ml Maclura pomifera lectin, 10 microg/ml Helix pomatia lectin, and 10-200 microg/ml Artocarpus integrifolia lectin significantly increased attachment to at least 1 of the cell cultures as compared to oocysts incubated without any lectin. The lectin-enhanced attachment was reversed by co-incubation of lectin treated-oocysts with 250 mM of each specific sugar (for a given lectin). In agglutination assays, concentrations as low as 0.5 microg/ml of C. fragile, M. pomifera, and A. integrifolia lectin agglutinated oocysts within 60 min. Finally, in TEM samples, colloidal gold conjugated-lectins from A. integrifolia, C. fragile, H. pomatia, and M. pomifera attached to oocysts, and this could be competitively inhibited by a lectin-specific sugar. This suggests that C. parvum oocysts are highly reactive to N-acetyl galactosamine-binding lectins and that the presence of N-acetyl-galactosamine containing molecules on oocysts can potentially help in oocyst attachment to host cells.     

Effects of lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities on hepatoma, choriocarcinoma, melanoma and osteosarcoma cell lines

The effects of lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities on human hepatoma (H3B), human choriocarcinoma (JAr), mouse melanoma (B16) and rat osteosarcoma (ROS) cell lines were investigated. Cell viability was estimated by uptake of crystal violet. Wheat germ lectin was the lectin with the most deleterious effect on the viability of H3B, JAr and ROS cell lines. The cytotoxicity of lectins with similar sugar-binding specificity to wheat germ lectin, including Maackia amurensis lectin and Solanum tuberosum lectin, was weaker than that of wheat germ lectin. N-acetylgalactosamine-and galactose-binding Tricholoma mongolicum lectin ranked third, after wheat germ lectin and Maackia amurensis lectin, with regard to its effect on H3B, and ranked, together with Maackia amurensis lectin, as the lectins with the second most pronounced effects on ROS. However, the cytotoxic effects of Tricholoma mongolicum lectin on JAr were much weaker than those of Maackia amurensis lectin, Solanum tuberosum lectin and Anguilla anguilla lectin. Artocarpus integrifolia lectin, Lens culinaris lectin and Anguilla anguilla lectin possessed milder cytotoxicity than the remaining lectins. which were approximately equipotent. The mannose-binding Narcissus pseudonarcissus and Lens culinaris lectins were only weakly cytotoxic, the exception being a stronger effect on H3B. The N-acetylgalactosamine-binding Glycine max lectin and methylgalactose-binding Artocarpus integrifolia lectin similarly exhibited low cytotoxicity. It can thus be concluded that in general the ranking was wheat germ lectin > Maackia amurensis lectin approximately Trichloma mongolicum lectins > other aforementioned lectins in cytotoxicity. A particular lectin may manifest more conspicuous toxicity on certain cell lines and less on others.     

三齿草藤(Vicia bungei Ohwi)凝集素的亲和层析纯化及其部分性质的研究

用Sephadex G-100或猪甲状腺球蛋白-对氨基苯砜乙基-交联琼脂作亲和吸附剂,均可从三齿草藤(Vicia Bungei Ohwi)的种子中分离纯化出三齿草藤凝集素。该凝集素经连续或不连续系统聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳均显示出单一蛋白带;糖蛋白染色法证实为糖蛋白;SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测定其分子量为24,600,凝集素浓度为1.95微克/毫升时就能凝集兔红细胞;但对人ABO型血细胞不发生凝集作用;其对兔红细胞的凝集作用可被D-Man、D-GlcNA和D-GIC所抑制;它也是一种促有丝分裂原。     

Protein blotting: detection of proteins with colloidal gold, and of glycoproteins and lectins with biotin-conjugated and enzyme probes

Methods to detect "native" proteins immobilized on nitrocellulose membranes in spot tests or on blots prepared from polyacrylamide slab gels after electrophoretic separation are described. Gold sols were found to be useful as general stains for proteins: They are polychromatic, yield an indelible record, and are complementary to india ink as protein stains because these two stains have different sensitivities for a number of proteins tested. For detection of wheat germ lectin (WGL)-binding glycoproteins, avidin-peroxidase was an effective enzyme probe, because the glycoportion of the avidin moiety possesses binding affinity to WGL. Glycocomponents in human parotid saliva were detected with this probe and with the following biotin-conjugated lectins as intermediary probes: soybean lectin, Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin, Lotus tetragonolobus lectin, and kidney bean lectin. Autoclaving blots prior to probing eliminated endogenous peroxidase activity. Concanavalin A and WGL were separated by isoelectric focusing and detected on blots with horseradish peroxidase and avidin-peroxidase, respectively. The versatility of the biotin/avidin system was used to detect other lectins on similar blots using biotin-conjugated glycoproteins as intermediary probes: Helix pomatia lectin and B. simplicifolia lectin were detected with biotinyl neoglycoproteins, and kidney bean lectin with biotin-conjugated components of parotid saliva.     

Purification and characterization of an N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-specific lectin from seeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

A novel lectin (CAA-II) was isolated and purified from the seeds of Cicer arietinum by ammonium sulphate fractionation and affinity chromatography on an N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-linked agarose column. The lectin is composed of four identical subunits of 30 kDa and the molecular mass of the native lectin was estimated to be 120 kDa by gel filtration chromatography and confirmed by mass spectrometry. The lectin showed agglutination activity against rabbit erythrocytes (trypsin-treated and untreated) as well as against human erythrocytes. Haemagglutination inhibition assays showed that the lectin is a galactose-specific protein having a high affinity for N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. The molecular weight, haemagglutination pattern, carbohydrate specificity and N-terminal amino acid sequence indicated that the lectin is clearly distinct from the previously reported chickpea lectin CAA-I.     

Immunological cross-reactivity between beta-galactoside-binding lectins of vertebrates. Possible relationship of antigenicity to oligomeric structure

Structural relationships among five beta-galactoside-binding lectins isolated from human, mouse and chick were studied using immunochemical methods. The lectins examined were human placenta lectin with a 14-kDa subunit (human 14K lectin), two types of mouse lectin (mouse 15K and mouse 16K lectin), and two types of chick lectin (chick 14K and chick 16K lectin). Five polyclonal antibodies raised against these lectins were used. Antibody to human 14K lectin cross-reacted with mouse 15K and chick 14K lectins. Antibodies to both mouse 15K and chick 14K lectins cross-reacted with human 14K and chick 16K lectins. Antibody to chick 16K lectin cross-reacted with mouse 15K lectin. An immunological relationship was not found between human 14K and chick 16K lectins, or between mouse 15K and chick 14K lectins. Mouse 16K lectin did not show any immunological relationship with any of the other lectins. A monoclonal antibody raised against chick 14K lectin cross-reacted with chick 16K lectin. These results cannot be explained simply in terms of phylogenic distance but suggest that vertebrate beta-galactoside-binding lectins can be classified into two structural groups on the basis of their antigenicities. One group, which is characterized as a monomer type, includes human 14K and chick 14K lectins. The other group, which is characterized as a dimer type, includes mouse 15K and chick 16K lectins.