Pea lectin inhibits cell growth by inducing apoptosis in SW480 and SW48 cell lines

Alocasia macrorrhiza rhizome lectin inhibits growth of pathogenic bacteria and human lung cancer cell in vitro and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell in vivo in mice

Cancer and antibiotic resistance represent significant global challenges, affecting public health and healthcare systems worldwide. Lectin, a carbohydrate-binding protein, displays various biological properties, including antimicrobial and anticancer activities. This study focused on anticancer and antibacterial properties of Alocasia macrorrhiza lectin (AML). AML, with a molecular weight of 11.0 ± 1.0 kDa was purified using Ion-exchange chromatography, and the homotetrameric form was detected by gel-filtration chromatography. It agglutinates mouse erythrocytes, that was inhibited by 4-Nitrophenyl-α-d-mannopyranoside. Maximum hemagglutination activity was observed below 60 °C and within a pH range from 8 to 11. Additionally, it exhibited moderate toxicity against brine shrimp nauplii with LD50 values of 321 μg/ml and showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae. In vitro experiments demonstrated that AML suppressed the proliferation of mice Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells by 35 % and human lung cancer (A549) cells by 40 % at 512 μg/ml concentration. In vivo experiments involved intraperitoneal injection of AML in EAC-bearing mice for five consecutive days at doses of 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg/day, and the results indicated that AML inhibited EAC cell growth by 37 % and 54 %, respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that AML can be used for further anticancer and antibacterial studies.

A Review of Bioactive Compound Effects from Primary Legume Protein Sources in Human and Animal Health

The global demand for sustainable and nutritious food sources has catalyzed interest in legumes, known for their rich repertoire of health-promoting compounds. This review delves into the diverse array of bioactive peptides, protein subunits, isoflavones, antinutritional factors, and saponins found in the primary legume protein sources-soybeans, peas, chickpeas, and mung beans. The current state of research on these compounds is critically evaluated, with an emphasis on the potential health benefits, ranging from antioxidant and anticancer properties to the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The extensively studied soybean is highlighted and the relatively unexplored potential of other legumes is also included, pointing to a significant, underutilized resource for developing health-enhancing foods. The review advocates for future interdisciplinary research to further unravel the mechanisms of action of these bioactive compounds and to explore their synergistic effects. The ultimate goal is to leverage the full spectrum of benefits offered by legumes, not only to advance human health but also to contribute to the sustainability of food systems. By providing a comprehensive overview of the nutraceutical potential of legumes, this manuscript sets a foundation for future investigations aimed at optimizing the use of legumes in the global pursuit of health and nutritional security.

2,4-Dipropylphloroglucinol inhibits the growth of human lung and colorectal cancer cells through induction of apoptosis

Scientists are finding the most effective chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the anticancer mechanism of DPPG, a derivative of DAPG (2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol), for the first time. DPPG and DAPG inhibited 83 and 59% of human colorectal cancer HCT116 cell growth at 40.0 µg/ml, and 74 and 57% of human lung cancer A549 cell growth at 10.0 µg/ml concentrations respectively. Furthermore, DPPG and DAPG inhibited 97 and 73% colony formation of the HCT116 cells at 20.0 µg/ml concentration. DPPG and DAPG induced apoptosis in the HCT116 and A549 cells that was confirmed by Hoechst 33342 and FITC-annexin V staining. This result also revealed that ROS generated in both the HCT116 and A549 cells after treatment with DPPG. However, no ROS production was observed in HCT116 and A549 cells after treatment with DAPG. Both DAPG and DPPG significantly increased the CASP3 protein expression that was detected by staining the cells with the super-view 488-CASP3 substrate. Expression of WNT1 gene was eliminated in DPPG and DAPG treated HCT116. Expression of MAPK1 gene was entirely abolished in DPPG treated cells, whereas a significant decrease was observed for DAPG. An intense band of CASP8 gene product was observed agarose gel for DPPG treated HCT116 cells than DAPG. Molecular docking simulation showed the high binding affinities (≥ 6.5 kcal/mol) of DPPG and DAPG with target proteins WNT1, MAPK1, CASP8, and CASP3 in HCT116 cells. This manuscript demonstrated that DAPG and DPPG inhibited lung and colorectal cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. DAPG and DPPG inhibited A549 and HCT116 cells growth by inducing apoptosis.

Proteins and their functionalization for finding therapeutic avenues in cancer: Current status and future prospective

Despite the remarkable advancement in the health care sector, cancer remains the second most fatal disease globally. The existing conventional cancer treatments primarily include chemotherapy, which has been associated with little to severe side effects, and radiotherapy, which is usually expensive. To overcome these problems, target-specific nanocarriers have been explored for delivering chemo drugs. However, recent reports on using a few proteins having anticancer activity and further use of them as drug carriers have generated tremendous attention for furthering the research towards cancer therapy. Biomolecules, especially proteins, have emerged as suitable alternatives in cancer treatment due to multiple favourable properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural flexibility for easy surface functionalization. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that various proteins derived from animal, plant, and bacterial species, demonstrated strong cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties against malignant cells in native and their different structural conformations. Moreover, surface tunable properties of these proteins help to bind a range of anticancer drugs and target ligands, thus making them efficient delivery agents in cancer therapy. Here, we discuss various proteins obtained from common exogenous sources and how they transform into effective anticancer agents. We also comprehensively discuss the tumor-killing mechanisms of different dietary proteins such as bovine α-lactalbumin, hen egg-white lysozyme, and their conjugates. We also articulate how protein nanostructures can be used as carriers for delivering cancer drugs and theranostics, and strategies to be adopted for improving their in vivo delivery and targeting. We further discuss the FDA-approved protein-based anticancer formulations along with those in different phases of clinical trials.

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

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.

Asparagus racemosus and Geodorum densiflorum lectins induce apoptosis in cancer cells by altering proteins and genes expression

A lectin (designated as ARL) was purified first time from the Asparagus racemosus root with the molecular weight of 14.0 kDa containing about 4.8% carbohydrate. ARL showed hemagglutination activity in both mice and human erythrocytes that were inhibited by three complex sugars among the 26 sugars tested. ARL was thermostable that mostly preserved activity at its optimum pH 8.0. Around 48% and 52.5% human colorectal cancer (HCT-116) cells growth was inhibited by 160 μg/ml of ARL and 256 μg/ml of previously purified Geodorum densiflorum rhizome lectin (GDL). Induction of apoptosis in HCT-116 cells was confirmed by Hoechst 33342 staining, caspase inhibitors, but ROS generation was only observed for ARL. The expression level of BAX and p53 genes increased with a decrease of PARP gene expression for both lectins. The expression of FAS and FADD were increased with the decrease of WNT after treatment with GDL. ARL inhibited 68% and 26% of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell growth in vivo in mice after treating with 3.0 and 1.5 mg/kg/day doses for five consecutive days. ARL increased the expression level of NFκB and arrested S cell cycle phase in EAC cells, in contrast, G₂/M phase was arrested by ARL and GDL in HCT-116.

Natural substances derived from herbs or plants are promising sources of anticancer agents against colorectal cancer via triggering apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

Nowadays, one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers is colorectal cancer (CRC). Chemotherapy is still one of the main methods to treat cancer. However, the currently available synthetic chemotherapy drugs often cause serious adverse reactions. Apoptosis is generally considered as an ideal way for induction the death of tumour cells without the body's inflammatory response, and it is reported that lots of natural agents could trigger various cancer cells to apoptosis. The overarching aim of this project was to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which natural substances induce apoptosis in CRC cells and to be used as an alternative therapeutic option in the future.

KEY FINDINGS

The mechanisms for the pro-apoptotic effects of natural substances derived from herbs or plants include death receptor pathway, mitochondrial pathway, endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway, related signal transduction pathways (PI3K/Akt, MAPK, p53 signalling), and so on.

SUMMARY

This paper updated this information regarding the anti-tumour effects of natural agents via induction of apoptosis against CRC, which would be beneficial for future new drug research regarding natural products from herbs or plants.

Identification of novel mutations and functional impacts of EPAS1 in colorectal cancer

Endothelial PAS domain‐containing protein 1 (EPAS1) has implications in many cancers. However, the molecular behaviours, functional roles and mutational status of EPAS1 have never been studied in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). The study aims to examine the genetic alterations and functional roles of EPAS1 in CRC. In addition, the clinical impacts of EPAS1 in CRC were studied. Significant EPAS1 DNA amplification (63.4%; n = 52/82) and consequent mRNA overexpression (72%; n = 59/82) were noted in patients with CRC. In CRC, 16% (n = 13/82) of the patients had mutations in the EPAS1 coding sequence and most of the mutated samples exhibited aberrant DNA changes and mRNA overexpression. We have identified two novel variants, c.1084C>T; p.L362L and c.1121T>G; p.F374C in CRC. These EPAS1 aberrations in CRC were correlated with clinicopathological parameters, including tumour size, histological grade, T‐stages, cancer perforation as well as the presence of synchronous cancer. Also, reduced cell proliferation, wound healing, migration and invasion were noted in colon cancer cells followed by EPAS1 silencing. To conclude, the results obtained from the current study indicated that EPAS1 plays important role in colorectal carcinogenesis, thus, could be useful as a prognostic marker and as a target for therapy development.

A review of Vicieae lectins studies: End of the book or a story in the writing?

Vicieae tribe, Leguminosae family (Fabaceae), has been extensively studied. In particular, the study of lectins. The purification, physicochemical and structural characterizations of the various purified lectins and the analysis of their relevant biological activities are ongoing. In this review, several works already published about Vicieae lectins are addressed. Initially, we presented the purification protocols and the physicochemical aspects, such as specificity for carbohydrates, optimal activity in the face of variations in temperature and pH, as well metals-dependence. Following, structural characterization studies are highlighted and, finally, various biological activities already reported are summarized. Studies on lectins in almost all genera (Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum and Vicia) are considered, with the exception of Vavilovia which studies of lectins have not yet been reported. Like other leguminous lectins, Vicieae lectins present heterogeneous profiles of agglutination profiles for erythrocytes and other cells of the immune system, and glycoproteins. Most Vicieae lectins consist of two subunits, α and β, products of a single precursor protein derived from a single gene. The differences between the isoforms result from varying degrees of proteolytic processing. Along with the identification of these molecules and their characteristics, biological activities become very relevant and robust for both basic and applied research.

Trichosanthes dioica seed lectin inhibits Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells growth in vivo in mice by inducing G0 /G1 cell cycle arrest

Trichosanthes dioica seed lectin (TDSL), having a molecular mass of 57 ± 2 kDa was purified in an alternative way. For the purification process, the galactose-sepharose-4B affinity column was used. The purified TDSL agglutinated human and mouse erythrocytes at the minimum concentration of 8  μg/ml. d-lactose and d-galactose were the most potent inhibitory sugars as observed. The purified lectin was a glycoprotein having 3.0% of a neutral sugar. The lectin exhibited maximum activity up to 60°C and pH range from 7.0 to 10.0 and stable up to 4.0 M urea as tested. The lectin demonstrated mild toxicity when administered against brine shrimp nauplii, and the LC₅₀ value was calculated to be 84.0 µg/ml. Minimum agglutination of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells caused by the lectin was found at the protein concentration of 1.56 µg/ml. TDSL inhibited 7, 50.2%, and 60.3% of the EAC cells growth in vivo in mice when administered with 0.75, 1.5, and 3.0 mg kg^-1  day^-1 (i.p.), respectively, for five consecutive days. After lectin treatment, red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin levels were increased significantly toward the normal compared with EAC cells-bearing control and normal mice. The tumor burden reduced to 29.5% and 67% after treatment with 1.5 and 3.0 mg kg^-1  day^-1 of the lectin. TDSL triggered the cell cycle arrest at the G₀ /G₁ phase, which was observed using flow cytometry. In conclusion, TDSL can be a candidate for the potent anticancer agents that exerts low toxicity toward brine shrimp nauplii. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: A 57 ± 2 kDa lectin (designated TDSL) was purified from Trichosanthes dioica seeds using a galactose-sepharose-4B affinity column. The lectin demonstrated mild toxicity and agglutinated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells. The lectin inhibited 50.2% and 60.3% of the EAC cell growth in vivo in mice when administered with 1.5 and 3.0 mg kg^-1  day^-1 (i.p.), respectively, for five consecutive days. The lectin increased RBC and hemoglobin level toward the normal compared with lectin-treated EAC cells-bearing, EAC cells-bearing control and normal mice. The tumor burden reduced to 29.5% and 67% after treatment with 1.5 and 3.0 mg kg^-1  day^-1 lectin. TDSL triggered the cell cycle arrest at the G₀ /G₁ phase. The lectin can be a candidate for potent anticancer agents.

In Vitro Assays of Biological Aggressiveness of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Researchers are developing new techniques and technologies to determine the characteristic features for cancer progression, thereby identifying potential targets and therapeutics to interfere these hallmark processes of cancer pathogenesis. The transformative researches using these in vitro methods have enable researchers to design precision treatments of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). These in vitro methods mainly include analysis of cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, colony formation, invasion, and migration in ESCC cells for analyzing manipulations affecting the biological behavior of ESCC. Because of these studies, important information on molecular mechanisms of different genes and proteins as well as result of therapeutic interventions are confirmed in ESCC.

cDNA cloning of a novel lectin that induce cell apoptosis from Artocarpus hypargyreus

We isolated a novel lectin (AHL) from Artocarpus hypargyreusHance and showed its immunomodulatory activities. In this study, the amino acid sequence of AHL was determined by cDNA sequencing. AHL cDNA (875bp) contains a 456-bp open reading frame (ORF), which encodes a protein with 151 amino acids. AHL is a new member of jacalin-related lectin family (JRLs), which share high sequence similarities to KM+ and Morniga M, and contain the conserved carbohydrate binding domains. The antitumor activity of AHL was also explored using Jurkat T cell lines. AHL exhibits a strong binding affinity to cell membrane, which can be effectively inhibited by methyl-α-D-galactose. AHL inhibits cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner through apoptosis, evidenced by morphological changes, phosphatidylserine externalization, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, Bad and Bax up-regulation, and caspase-3 activation. We further showed that the activation of ERK and p38 signaling pathways is involved for the pro-apoptotic effect of AHL.

Molecular Deregulation of EPAS1 in the Pathogenesis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1 (EPAS1) is an angiogenic factor and its implications have been reported in many cancers but not in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Herein, we aim to examine the genetic and molecular alterations, clinical implications, and functional roles of EPAS1 in ESCC. High-resolution melt-curve analysis and Sanger sequencing were used to detect mutations in EPAS1 sequence. EPAS1 DNA number changes and mRNA expressions were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. in vitro functional assays were used to study the impact of EPAS1 on cellular behaviors. Overall, 7.5% (n = 6/80) of patients with ESCC had mutations in EPAS1, and eight novel variants (c.1084C>T, c.1099C>A, c.1145_1145delT, c.1093C>G, c.1121T>G, c.1137_1137delG, c.1135_1136insT, and c.1091_1092insT) were detected. Among these mutations, four were frameshift (V382Gfs^*12, A381Lfs^*13, K379Ifs^*6, and K364Nfs^*12) mutations and showed the potential of non–sense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in computational analysis. The majority of patients showed molecular deregulation of EPAS1 [45% (n = 36/80) DNA amplification, 42.5% (n = 34/80) DNA deletion, as well as 53.7% (n = 43/80) high mRNA expression, 20% (n = 16/80) low mRNA expression]. These alterations of EPAS1 were associated with tumor location and T stages. Patients with stage III ESCC having EPAS1 DNA amplification had poorer survival rates in comparison to EPAS1 DNA deletion (p = 0.04). In addition, suppression of EPAS1 in ESCC cells showed reduced proliferation, wound healing, migration, and invasion in comparison to that of control cells. Thus, the molecular and functional studies implied that EPAS1 plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of ESCC and has the potential to be used as a prognostic marker and as a therapeutic target.

Characterization of Vicia ervilia (bitter vetch) seed proteins, free amino acids, and polyphenols

Vicia ervilia is an ancient crop from the Mediterranean Region. It may represent a useful source of proteins for food and animal feed, as well as bioactive components. Seed samples from 39 populations of V. ervilia have been analyzed. Polyphenol contents ranged from 0.09% to 0.19%. Luteolin, kaempferol, apigenin, and quercetin were the major aglycones. The total free amino acid content of the seeds was 0.05% to 0.19% in which canavanine represented 9% to 22%. The protein content was 24.1%. The amino acid composition indicated a high content in acidic amino acids and a deficit in sulphur amino acids. V. ervilia seeds proved to be a good substrate for the preparation of protein isolates. The seed extracts inhibited the proliferation of Caco-2 colon tumor cells, simultaneously, exerting antioxidative effects. Hence, seeds of V. ervilia could represent a source of high-value food and feed components, as well as functional components. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Vicia ervilia (bitter vetch) (Leguminosae) is an ancient crop from the Mediterranean Region. Although it was still grown in many Mediterranean countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, other crops that provide higher and more consistent yield later replaced it. However, V. ervilia seeds may represent a useful source of proteins for human nutrition and animal feeding, and a source of bioactive components with health-promoting properties. Our results show that the seeds of V. ervilia could, indeed, represent a source of high-value food and feed components, as well as functional, health-promoting components. This may result in a revalorization of this neglected crop. The availability of numerous populations in seed banks guarantees the preservation of a genetic diversity in V. ervilia that could be used for the production of new varieties with better nutritional and functional characteristics.

Tepary Bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) Lectins Induce Apoptosis and Cell Arrest in G0/G1 by P53(Ser46) Phosphorylation in Colon Cancer Cells

A Tepary bean lectin fraction (TBLF) has been studied because it exhibits differential cytotoxic and anticancer effects on colon cancer. The present work focuses on the evaluation of the apoptotic mechanism of action on colon cancer cells. Initially, lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) were obtained for the three studied cell lines (HT-29, RKO and SW-480). HT-29 showed the highest LC₅₀, 10 and 100 times higher than that of RKO and SW-480 cells, respectively. Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry, where HT-29 cells showed the highest levels of early and total apoptosis, caspases activity was confirmed and necrosis was discarded. The effect on cell cycle arrest was shown in the G0/G1 phase. Specific apoptosis-related gene expression was determined, where an increase in p53 and a decrease in Bcl-2 were observed. Expression of p53 gene showed the maximum level at 8 h with an important decrease at 12 and 24 h, also the phosphorylated p53(ser46) increased at 8 h. Our results show that TBLF induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells by p-p53(ser46) involvement. Further studies will focus on studying the specific signal transduction pathway.

FAM134B promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and its correlations with clinicopathologic features

Family with sequence similarity 134, member B (FAM134B) is an autophagy regulator of endoplasmic reticulum first discovered to be involved in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The present study examined the functional behavior of FAM134B in cancer cells and the association of FAM134B expression with clinicopathologic factors in patients with ESCC. Expression at both the mRNA and protein levels was investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The results were correlated with the clinical and pathological features of the patients. In addition, in vitro functional assays were used to investigate the roles of FAM134B in ESCC cells in response to gene silencing with shRNA lentiviral particles. Overexpression of FAM134B mRNA and protein was present in 31.2% (n = 29/93) and 36.6% (n = 41/112), respectively, in tumors, whereas downregulation occurred in 39.8% (n = 37/93) and 63.4% (n = 71/112), respectively. Expression of FAM134B protein in ESCC correlated with histologic grade (P = .002) and pathologic stage (P = .012). In vitro suppression of FAM134B in ESCC induced significant reductions of cell proliferation and colony formation (P < .05). In addition, suppression of FAM134B caused reduction of wound healing, migration, and invasion capacities of ESCC. To conclude, FAM134B could play crucial roles in the initiation and progression of ESCC, and FAM134B protein expression has potential predictive value. Therefore, development of strategies targeting FAM134B could have therapeutic value in the management of patients with ESCC.

Overview of the Structure⁻Function Relationships of Mannose-Specific Lectins from Plants, Algae and Fungi

To date, a number of mannose-binding lectins have been isolated and characterized from plants and fungi. These proteins are composed of different structural scaffold structures which harbor a single or multiple carbohydrate-binding sites involved in the specific recognition of mannose-containing glycans. Generally, the mannose-binding site consists of a small, central, carbohydrate-binding pocket responsible for the "broad sugar-binding specificity" toward a single mannose molecule, surrounded by a more extended binding area responsible for the specific recognition of larger mannose-containing N-glycan chains. Accordingly, the mannose-binding specificity of the so-called mannose-binding lectins towards complex mannose-containing N-glycans depends largely on the topography of their mannose-binding site(s). This structure⁻function relationship introduces a high degree of specificity in the apparently homogeneous group of mannose-binding lectins, with respect to the specific recognition of high-mannose and complex N-glycans. Because of the high specificity towards mannose these lectins are valuable tools for deciphering and characterizing the complex mannose-containing glycans that decorate both normal and transformed cells, e.g., the altered high-mannose N-glycans that often occur at the surface of various cancer cells.