Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: from isolation to potential medicinal applications.
Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K(i), 0.1 x 10(-9)M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies. These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI.
Fang
Evandro Fei
EF
School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wong
Jack Ho
JH
Bah
Clara Shui Fern
CS
Lin
Peng
P
Tsao
Sai Wah
SW
Ng
Tzi Bun
TB
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis; D036481:Bauhinia / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D055550:Protein Stability; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; C053865:Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, plant; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors