title: Bioadhesion by means of specific binding of tomato lectin.
abstract: The possibility of developing bioadhesive drug delivery systems on the basis of molecules which selectively bind to the small intestinal epithelium by specific, receptor-mediated mechanisms was investigated using a lectin isolated from tomato fruits (Lycopersicum esculentum). The tomato lectin (TL) was found to bind specifically onto both isolated, fixed pig enterocytes and monolayers of human Caco-2 cell cultures with a similar affinity. TL-coated polystyrene microspheres (0.98 micron) also showed specific binding to enterocytes in vitro. Lectin binding was found to be favored at neutral pH and to be reduced in an acidic environment. Crude pig gastric mucin, however showed a marked cross-reactivity in vitro, indicating that lectin binding to the cell surface in vivo might be inhibited by mucus.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lehr
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bouwstra
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Noach
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Junginger
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008863:Microspheres; D037121:Plant Lectins; D013552:Swine; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C034981:tomato lectin