title: Characterisation of a haemagglutinin from Hokkaido red bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Hokkaido red bean).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A haemagglutinin was purified from Japanese Hokkaido red beans (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Hokkaido red bean) with a procedure that included three chromatographic media.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Haemagglutinating activity was adsorbed on DEAE cellulose, Affi-gel blue gel and Mono S. The pure haemagglutinin was a homodimer and each subunit was around 30 kDa in molecular mass. The haemagglutinating activity of this agglutinin could not be inhibited by a variety of simple sugars at 200 mmol L(-1) concentration including alpha-L-fucose, D(+)-galactose, D(+)-glucose, D(+)-glucosamine, D(-)galactosamine, galacturonic acid, (+)-lactose, D(+)-melibose, L(-)-mannose, D(+)-mannose, D-mannosamine, D(+)-raffinose, L-rhamnose, (+)-xylose and galacturonic acid. The haemagglutinating activity was fully retained at pH 4-11 and at 0-80 degrees C, but was completely lost at extreme pH values (0-2 and 13-14) and at very high temperatures (90 degrees C and 100 degrees C). The haemagglutinin exhibited a weak mitogenic activity toward mouse splenocytes, a stronger anti-proliferative activity than Con A toward HepG2 (human hepatoma) cells and inhibited >80% of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity at 3.3 micromol L(-1). It was devoid of anti-fungal activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hokkaido red bean haemagglutinin possesses a potent anti-proliferative effect on HepG2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jack H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chung T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Tzi B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002241:Carbohydrates; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003636:DEAE-Cellulose; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008934:Mitogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002241:Carbohydrates; D008934:Mitogens; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003636:DEAE-Cellulose; C514824:reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase