Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi leaf lectin is an antiangiogenic agent for Coturnix japonica embryos

Abstract

Angiogenesis (budding of new blood vessels) is involved in several processes, including the development of embryos and growth of tumors. Schinus terebinthifolia leaves express an antitumor lectin (SteLL). This work hypothesized that SteLL can interfere with the formation of a vascular network from preexisting vessels. To test this hypothesis, the effect of SteLL on the angiogenesis process was assessed using an in vivo model of yolk sac membrane of Coturnix japonica embryos. SteLL was isolated with purifi cation factor of 46.6. As expected, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) for native basic proteins confi rmed the homogeneity and PAGE in presence of dodecyl sodium sulphate revealed a single 14-kDa polypeptide band. The fractal analysis by box counting and information dimension measurements indicated that SteLL at 1.35 mg/ mL signifi cantly decreased by ca. 12% the angiogenesis within the C. japonica yolk sac membrane regarding the control. The inhibition of the vascular network formation in the yolk sac membrane resulted in decreased blood supply to the embryos. Conse quently, the area of embryos was signifi cantly reduced by 9.2% regarding the control, which corroborated with the antiangiogenic activity of SteLL. The fi ndings implicate SteLL as an antiangiogenic agent and add to the panel of biological activities of this lectin.