Plant lectins: potential antineoplastic drugs from bench to clinic.
Plant lectins, carbohydrate-binding proteins distributed widely in a variety of plant species, have drawn a rising attention for cancer biologists due to their remarkable anti-tumour properties. In this review, we present a brief outline of the up-to-date advances of plant lectins in elucidating their complex anti-cancer mechanisms implicated in apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, we further discuss the pre-clinical and clinical studies of plant lectins for their potential therapeutic applications. In conclusion, these inspiring findings would open a new perspective for plant lectins as potential antineoplastic drugs from bench to clinic.
Liu
Bo
B
School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
Bian
He-jiao
HJ
Bao
Jin-ku
JK
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000187:drug effects
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D037121:Plant Lectins; D002686:Chitin