title: Novel lectins from rhizomes of two Acorus species with mitogenic activity and inhibitory potential towards murine cancer cell lines.
abstract: Two novel lectins were purified from rhizomes of two sweet flag species, namely Acorus calamus (Linn.) and Acorus gramineus (Solandin Ait.) by affinity chromatography on mannose linked epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B. The apparent molecular mass of the lectins, as determined by gel filtration chromatography, was 56 kDa for ACL and 55 kDa for AGL. In SDS-PAGE, pH 8.3, both lectins migrated with a subunit molecular mass of 13.6 kDa and 13.5 kDa, respectively, under reducing and non-reducing conditions thus indicating the absence of disulphide linkages. Acorus lectins readily agglutinated rabbit, rat and guinea pig erythrocytes. Both ACL and AGL also reacted with RBCs from sheep, goat and human ABO blood groups after neuraminidase treatment. ACL and AGL were inhibited by mannose/glucose and their derivatives. The most effective inhibitor was methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside. Acorus lectins were stable up to 55 degrees C, did not require metal ions for their activity and were also affected by high concentrations of denaturants like urea, thiourea and guanidine-HCl. These lectins showed potent mitogenic activity towards mouse splenocytes and human lymphocytes. Both ACL and AGL also significantly inhibited the growth of J774, a murine macrophage cancer cell-line and to lesser extent WEHI-279, a B-cell lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India. bainsjaggi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jagmohan Singh
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bains
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dhuna
authors.forename: Jatinder
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sukhdev Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kamboj
authors.forename: Kamaljeet Kaur
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Nijjar
authors.forename: Javed N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Agrewala
mesh_terms: D029023:Acorus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D008358:Mannose / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008934:Mitogens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D037102:Lectins; D008934:Mitogens; D008358:Mannose