title: Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: from isolation to potential medicinal applications.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Evandro Fei
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jack Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Clara Shui Fern
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bah
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Sai Wah
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Tzi Bun
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; C053865:Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, plant; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors