title: Isolation and cytotoxic properties of a novel glycoconjugate from corms of saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.).
abstract: A novel glycoconjugate isolated from saffron corm extracts shows remarkable cytotoxic activity on cultured human cancer cells (HeLa). Its polysaccharide part represents 94.5% of the molecule, and is dominated by a 36.4% of rhamnose. The protein backbone is composed mainly of aspartic acid/asparagine, alanine, glutamic acid/glutamine, glycine and serine. HeLa cells exposed to this glycoconjugate showed swelling and local plasma membrane evaginations, suggesting that cytotoxicity is mediated by extracellular fluid uptake.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Biotecnología, Instituto de Desarrollo Regional, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, E-02071, Albacete, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escribano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012210:Rhamnose / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012210:Rhamnose