Legume Lectins with Different Specificities as Potential Glycan Probes for Pathogenic Enveloped Viruses

Abstract

Pathogenic enveloped viruses are covered with a glycan shield that provides a dual function: the glycan structures contribute to virus protection as well as host cell recognition. The three classical types of N-glycans, in particular complex glycans, high-mannose glycans, and hybrid glycans, together with some O-glycans, participate in the glycan shield of the Ebola virus, influenza virus, human cytomegalovirus, herpes virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Lassa virus, and MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, which are responsible for respiratory syndromes. The glycans are linked to glycoproteins that occur as metastable prefusion glycoproteins on the surface of infectious virions such as gp120 of HIV, hemagglutinin of influenza, or spike proteins of beta-coronaviruses. Plant lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities and, especially, mannose-specific lectins from the Vicieae tribe, such as pea lectin and lentil lectin, can be used as glycan probes for targeting the glycan shield because of their specific interaction with the α1,6-fucosylated core Man3GlcNAc2, which predominantly occurs in complex and hybrid glycans. Other plant lectins with Neu5Ac specificity or GalNAc/T/Tn specificity can also serve as potential glycan probes for the often sialylated complex glycans and truncated O-glycans, respectively, which are abundantly distributed in the glycan shield of enveloped viruses. The biomedical and therapeutical potential of plant lectins as antiviral drugs is discussed.

Parkia platycephala Lectin (PPL) Inhibits Orofacial Nociception Responses via TRPV1 Modulation

“…Veldhuis and collaborators [ 30 ] demonstrated that the glycosylation of TRPV1 is a determinant for capsaicin-evoked desensitization and ion permeability. Plant lectins can recognize and interact with N-glycans from different cells, eliciting cellular responses that characterize some biological activities, of which we highlight inhibition of viral infection [ 31 ], antitumor activity [ 32 ], immunomodulatory activity [ 33 ] and anti-inflammatory activity [ 4 ]. Therefore, we hypothesized that the antinociceptive effect of PPL in inhibiting capsaicin activity may be related to the interaction of PPL with mannose residues present in the N-glycans of the TRPV1 receptor.…”

Plant lectins as versatile tools to fight coronavirus outbreaks

“…Despite the benefits plant lectins can offer to fight COVID19, they have some disadvantages that could limit their use as virus blockers in vivo . Plant lectins have been identified for a long time, as bioactive compounds with mitogenic, immunomodulatory, allergenic and cytotoxic properties (see [ 36 , 37 ] for these unwanted properties of plant lectins). The effects of plant lectins have been particularly studied on cancer cells, for which different lectins have been used as specific binders for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes [ 37 – 39 ].…”

“…Plant lectins have been identified for a long time, as bioactive compounds with mitogenic, immunomodulatory, allergenic and cytotoxic properties (see [ 36 , 37 ] for these unwanted properties of plant lectins). The effects of plant lectins have been particularly studied on cancer cells, for which different lectins have been used as specific binders for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes [ 37 – 39 ]. In this regard, many lectins have been identified as molecules susceptible to stimulate various signaling pathways and trigger apoptotic and/or necrotic responses in the target cells [ 38 , 39 ].…”

“…Mannose-specific lectins from higher plants have been used as valuable tools for targeting the complex glycans that cover enveloped viruses such as HIV-1, Herpes simplex virus, influenza and Ebola viruses [ 12 ]. Two-chain lectins from the Vicieae tribe like pea ( Pisum sativum ) lectin PsA and lentil ( Lens culinaris ) lectin LcA, are particularly interesting because they specifically recognize the α1,6-fucosylated trimannoside core Man 3 -GlcNAc(Fuc)GlcNAc which frequently occurs in complex glycans from the beta-coronaviruses [ 13 , 14 ].…”

10th Anniversary of Cells—Advances in Plant, Algae and Fungi Cell Biology

“…The primary purpose of the review by Barre et al is to give an overview of the types of glycans present in the glycan shield of different pathogenic enveloped viruses and how legume lectins with different specificities can act as carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) for these viruses. In addition, the biomedical and therapeutic potential of plant lectins as antiviral drugs has been discussed [ 10 ].…”