title: Purification and biological effects of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) seed lectin.
abstract: This paper describes the purification and characterization of a new N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-specific lectin from Araucaria angustifolia (AaL) seeds (Araucariaceae) and its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. AaL was purified using a combination of affinity chromatography on a chitin column and ion exchange chromatography on Sephacel-DEAE. The pure protein has 8.0kDa (SDS-PAGE) and specifically agglutinates rabbit erythrocytes, effect that was independent of the presence of divalent cations and was inhibited after incubation with glucose and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine. AaL showed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains, shown by scanning electron microscopy. AaL, intravenously injected into rats, showed anti-inflammatory effect, via carbohydrate site interaction, in the models of paw edema and peritonitis. This lectin can be used as a tool for studying bacterial infections and inflammatory processes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santi-Gadelha
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Almeida Gadelha
authors.forename: Karoline Sabóia
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Aragão
authors.forename: Cecília Carvalho
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Mário Rogério
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lima Mota
authors.forename: Raphaela Cardoso
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Alana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Freitas Pires
authors.forename: Marcos Hikari
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Toyama
authors.forename: Nylane Maria Nunes
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: de Alencar
authors.forename: David Neil
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Criddle
authors.forename: Ana Maria Sampaio
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assreuy
authors.forename: Benildo Sousa
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cavada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D032462:Cycadopsida / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D037121:Plant Lectins