title: A novel lectin with highly potent antiproliferative and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activities from cicada (Cicada flammata).
abstract: A dimeric lectin with a molecular weight of 60 kDa and high hemagglutinating activity was isolated from dried cicadas. It was adsorbed on Q-Sepharose and unadsorbed on Affi-Gel Blue gel. Its hemagglutinating activity was stable up to 55 degrees C and between pH 2 and 13. The activity was inhibited by glucuronic acid and raffinose, K(+) ions, and Mg(2+) ions. Cicada lectin potently inhibited proliferation of HepG2 hepatoma and MCF 7 breast cancer cells, with an IC(50) value of 0.76 and 0.49 microM, respectively. It potently inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity with an IC(50) of 0.36 microM but was devoid of mitogenic activity on spleen cells. Its N-terminal sequence exhibited slight similarity to a conserved hypothetical protein from Culex quinquefasciatus and a gene product from transcript GH19834-RA of Drosophila grimshawi, but there was no resemblance to lectins from other insects, including Drosophila, Sarcophaga, Glossina, and Aedes species.
authors: School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Xiu Juan
authors: XJ
authors: Ye
authors: Tzi Bun
authors: TB
authors: Ng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008934:Mitogens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019476:Insect Proteins; D037102:Lectins; D008934:Mitogens; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; C514824:reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase