Snake venom lectins: a new group of T- and B-cell mitogenic anti-galactans.
A new group of vertebrate lectins has been discovered in snake venom preparations. These lectins are cell agglutinating, but not glycoconjugate precipitating. The specificity is directed towards receptors with terminal D-galactose, beta-linked. From the crude preparations strong T- and potent B-cell mitogens can be obtained by fractionation. The T-cell mitogenic lectin could be characterized as an anti-galactan, which reacts with group B streptococci of type II, and with the other types only after neuraminidase treatment. For comparison, other lectins have been tested with group B streptococci, too.
D000371:Agglutination; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005685:Galactans; D037102:Lectins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013045:Species Specificity; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005685:Galactans; D037102:Lectins; D014757:Viper Venoms