title: Lectins as inducers of interferon-gamma production in human lymphocytes: lentil lectin is highly efficient.
abstract: Several of many tested plant lectins induced interferon (IFN) production in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBL). The mannose-binding lectin obtained from Lens culinaris (LCL) was a particularly efficient inducer of trypsin-sensitive antiviral activity, which qualified as IFN-gamma because it was 90-95% destroyed by pH 2 treatment but not neutralized by anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. However, such antibodies neutralized the residual 5-10% pH 2-resistant IFN, which therefore represented IFN-alpha. Further evidence for the IFN-gamma nature of the LCL-induced IFN was that its production in PBL cultures required both T lymphocytes and macrophages and that its induction of antiviral resistance in human amnion cells was significantly delayed compared with IFN-alpha. Under optimal conditions LCL induced titres of IFN-gamma corresponding to more than 20,000 IFN-alpha units/ml medium, higher than observed with other tested, established IFN-gamma inducers. Other desirable properties of this lectin, as discussed, also suggest that it will be of value for efficient large-scale IFN-gamma production.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D037121:Plant Lectins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007369:Interferon Inducers; D007370:Interferon Type I; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C033619:lentil lectin; D007371:Interferon-gamma