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Bercea M, Lupu A. Recent Insights into Glucose-Responsive Concanavalin A-Based Smart Hydrogels for Controlled Insulin Delivery. Gels 2024; 10:260. [PMID: 38667679 PMCID: PMC11048858 DOI: 10.3390/gels10040260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Many efforts are continuously undertaken to develop glucose-sensitive biomaterials able of controlling glucose levels in the body and self-regulating insulin delivery. Hydrogels that swell or shrink as a function of the environmental free glucose content are suitable systems for monitoring blood glucose, delivering insulin doses adapted to the glucose concentration. In this context, the development of sensors based on reversible binding to glucose molecules represents a continuous challenge. Concanavalin A (Con A) is a bioactive protein isolated from sword bean plants (Canavalia ensiformis) and contains four sugar-binding sites. The high affinity for reversibly and specifically binding glucose and mannose makes Con A as a suitable natural receptor for the development of smart glucose-responsive materials. During the last few years, Con A was used to develop smart materials, such as hydrogels, microgels, nanoparticles and films, for producing glucose biosensors or drug delivery devices. This review is focused on Con A-based materials suitable in the diagnosis and therapeutics of diabetes. A brief outlook on glucose-derived theranostics of cancer is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bercea
- “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41-A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
| | - Alexandra Lupu
- “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41-A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
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Wang P, Min S, Chen C, Hu J, Wei D, Wang X. Phytohemagglutinin from Phaseolus vulgaris enhances the lung cancer cell chemotherapy sensitivity by changing cell membrane permeability. J Nat Med 2024; 78:355-369. [PMID: 38265611 DOI: 10.1007/s11418-023-01772-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is still a prevalent strategy for clinical lung cancer treatment. However, the inevitable emerged drug resistance has become a great hurdle to therapeutic effect. Studies have demonstrated that the primary cause of drug resistance is a decrease in the chemotherapeutic medicine concentration. Several lectins have been confirmed to be effective as chemotherapy adjuvants, enhancing the anti-tumor effects of chemotherapy drugs. Here, we combined phytohemagglutinin (PHA), which has been reported possess anti-tumor effects, with chemotherapy drugs Cisplatin (DDP) and Adriamycin (ADM) on lung cancer cells to detect the sensitivities of PHA as a chemotherapy adjuvant. Our results demonstrated that the PHA significantly enhanced the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to DDP and ADM, and Western blot showed that PHA combined with DDP or ADM enhance cytotoxic effects by inhibiting autophagy and promoting apoptosis. More importantly, we found PHA enhanced the chemotherapeutic drugs cytotoxicity by changing the cell membrane to increase the intracellular chemotherapeutic drugs concentration. Besides, the combination of PHA and ADM increased the ADM concentration in the multidrug-resistant strain A549-R cells and achieved the drug sensitization effect. Our results suggest that PHA combined with chemotherapy can be applied in the treatment of lung cancer cells and lung cancer multidrug-resistant strains, and provide a novel strategy for clinical tumor chemotherapy and a new idea to solve the problem of drug resistance in clinical lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Wang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shitong Min
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Congliang Chen
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Junmei Hu
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dapeng Wei
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xia Wang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Gupta A, Yadav K, Yadav A, Ahmad R, Srivastava A, Kumar D, Khan MA, Dwivedi UN. Mannose-specific plant and microbial lectins as antiviral agents: A review. Glycoconj J 2024; 41:1-33. [PMID: 38244136 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-023-10142-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Lectins are non-immunological carbohydrate-binding proteins classified on the basis of their structure, origin, and sugar specificity. The binding specificity of such proteins with the surface glycan moiety determines their activity and clinical applications. Thus, lectins hold great potential as diagnostic and drug discovery agents and as novel biopharmaceutical products. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding plant and microbial lectins as therapeutic agents against various viral diseases. Among them, mannose-specific lectins have being proven as promising antiviral agents against a variety of viruses, such as HIV, Influenza, Herpes, Ebola, Hepatitis, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1), Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and most recent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The binding of mannose-binding lectins (MBLs) from plants and microbes to high-mannose containing N-glycans (which may be simple or complex) of glycoproteins found on the surface of viruses has been found to be highly specific and mainly responsible for their antiviral activity. MBLs target various steps in the viral life cycle, including viral attachment, entry and replication. The present review discusses the brief classification and structure of lectins along with antiviral activity of various mannose-specific lectins from plants and microbial sources and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications against viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kusum Yadav
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Anurag Yadav
- Department of Microbiology, C.P. College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agriculture University, District-Banaskantha, Gujarat, India
| | - Rumana Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Aditi Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Dileep Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mohammad Amir Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - U N Dwivedi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Wang X, Terrie L, Wu G, Van Damme EJM, Thorrez L, Fooks AR, Banyard AC, Jochmans D, Neyts J. Urtica dioica Agglutinin Prevents Rabies Virus Infection in a Muscle Explant Model. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051353. [PMID: 37242595 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the rabies virus (RABV) results in a 100% lethal neurological disease once symptoms develop. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) consists of a combination of vaccination and anti-rabies immunoglobulins (RIGs); it is 100% effective if administered early after exposure. Because of its limited availability, alternatives for RIGs are needed. To that end, we evaluated a panel of 33 different lectins for their effect on RABV infection in cell culture. Several lectins, with either mannose or GlcNAc specificity, elicited anti-RABV activity, of which the GlcNAc-specific Urtica dioica agglutinin (UDA) was selected for further studies. UDA was found to prevent the entry of the virus into the host cell. To further assess the potential of UDA, a physiologically relevant RABV infection muscle explant model was developed. Strips of dissected swine skeletal muscle that were kept in a culture medium could be productively infected with the RABV. When the infection of the muscle strips was carried out in the presence of UDA, RABV replication was completely prevented. Thus, we developed a physiologically relevant RABV muscle infection model. UDA (i) may serve as a reference for further studies and (ii) holds promise as a cheap and simple-to-produce alternative for RIGs in PEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Lisanne Terrie
- Tissue Engineering Lab, Department of Development and Regeneration, Campus Kulak, KU Leuven, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Guanghui Wu
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Woodham Lane, Weybridge KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Els J M Van Damme
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Lieven Thorrez
- Tissue Engineering Lab, Department of Development and Regeneration, Campus Kulak, KU Leuven, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Woodham Lane, Weybridge KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Ashley C Banyard
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Woodham Lane, Weybridge KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Johan Neyts
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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