title: Anti-asthmatic potential of a D-galactose-binding lectin from Synadenium carinatum latex.
abstract: Extracts from the plant Synadenium carinatum latex are widely and indiscriminately used in popular medicine to treat a great number of inflammatory disorders and although the mechanisms underlying these effects remain undefined, the lectin isolated from S. carinatum latex (ScLL) is thought to be in part responsible for these anti-inflammatory effects. In order to elucidate possible immunoregulatory activities of ScLL, we investigated the effects of ScLL administration in models of acute and chronic inflammation. Oral administration of ScLL significantly inhibited neutrophil and eosinophil extravasation in models of acute and chronic inflammation and reduced eosinophil and mononuclear blood counts during chronic inflammation. ScLL administration reduced IL(interleukin)-4 and IL-5 levels but increased interferon-gamma and IL-10 in an asthma inflammatory model, which suggested that it might induce a TH2 to TH1 shift in the adaptive immune response. ScLL also inhibited IkappaBalpha degradation, a negative regulator of proinflammatory NF-kappaB. Taken together, these results provide the first description of a single factor isolated from S. carinatum latex extract with immunoregulatory functions and suggest that ScLL may be useful in the treatment of allergic inflammatory disorders.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Universitário Trindade, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88049-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rogerio
authors.forename: Cristina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontanari
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Afonso-Cardoso
authors.forename: Erika Vg
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Natalia S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Fernanda L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Basei
authors.forename: Edson G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: João B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Calixto
authors.forename: Sean R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stowell
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dias-Baruffi
authors.forename: Lúcia H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Faccioli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007840:Latex / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D037161:Galectins; D007840:Latex; D010936:Plant Extracts