Toxic effects of Microgramma vacciniifolia rhizome lectin on Artemia salina, human cells, and the schistosomiasis vector Biomphalaria glabrata

Abstract

The present study evaluated the toxicity of Microgramma vacciniifolia rhizome lectin (MvRL) to Artemia salina, human tumour cell lines (larynx epidermoid carcinoma Hep-2, NCI-H292 lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and chronic myelocytic leukaemia K562), and normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as well as to Biomphalaria glabrata embryos and adults. MvRL was toxic to A. salina (LC50=159.9 μg/mL), and exerted cytotoxic effects on NCI-H292 cells (IC50=25.23 μg/mL). The lectin (1-100 μg/mL) did not affect the viability of K562 and Hep-2 tumour cells, as well as of PBMCs. MvRL concentration of 1, 10, and 100 μg/mL promoted malformations (mainly exogastrulation) in 7.8%, 22.5%, and 27.7% of embryos, respectively, as well as delayed embryo development in 42.0%, 69.5%, and 54.7% of embryos, respectively. MvRL at a concentration of 100 μg/mL killed B. glabrata embryos (17.7%) and adults (25%). Further, MvRL damaged B. glabrata reproductive processes, which was evidenced by observations that snails exposed to the lectin (100 μg/mL) deposited fewer eggs than those in the control group, and approximately 40% of the deposited eggs exhibited malformations. Comparison of these results with that from A. salina assay indicates that MvRL is adulticidal at the concentration range which is toxic to environment. In conclusion, the cytotoxicity of MvRL on tumour cell and absence of toxicity to normal cell indicate its potential as chemotherapeutic drug. Also, the study revealed that the lectin is able to promote deleterious effects on B. glabrata embryos at environmentally safe concentrations.

Lectins, Interconnecting Proteins with Biotechnological/Pharmacological and Therapeutic Applications

“…The Microgramma vacciniifolia rhizome lectin at 100  µ g/mL was able to promote death of Biomphalaria glabrata (intermediate host of S. mansoni ) embryos and adults; in addition, the snails treated with the lectin laid a few number of eggs, among which several showed malformations [111]. The lectins from Cratylia floribunda (CFL) and Dioclea guianensis (Dgui) were also able to promote death of B. glabrata adult snails [112].…”

“…The ability of lectins to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in vitro is well documented in the literature and some examples are listed in Table 1 [13–21, 23–25, 27–29, 89, 111, 178–181]. In addition, to reduce cell proliferation, lectins may interact with receptors and other molecules present in cell surface and/or cytosol, activating cell death pathways.…”

Plant Lectins with Insecticidal and Insectistatic Activities

“…However, because of its carbohydrate interactions, lectins have been tested for several biological functions, getting interesting results in some of them. Biological activities are related to immunomodulatory and antitumor [17][18][19], antifungal [20][21][22][23], antiparasitic [24][25][26], antiproliferative [27][28][29][30], healing process [31][32][33], drug delivery [34][35][36], as histochemical markers [37][38][39], biosensors [40,41], insecticide [42][43][44][45][46], etc.…”

Purification and molecular characterization of a novel mannose‐specific lectin from Dioclea reflexa hook seeds with inflammatory activity

“…Plant lectins represent the most studied group of carbohydrate‐binding proteins, which comprises a large group of homologous proteins found primarily in the seeds. However, lectins isolated from other plant components, such as bulb and rhizome, have also been reported (Loris et al ., ; Prasanna and Venkatesh, ; Xiao et al ., ; Albuquerque et al ., ). Leguminous seeds are a rich source of lectins, and several genera of the subtribe Diocleinae (tribe Phaseoleae ) have been the main source for isolation and characterization of novel lectins (Cavada et al ., ; Peumans and Van Damme, Correia et al ., ; Van Damme et al ., ; Rocha et al ., ).…”