title: Isolectins of phytohemagglutinin are able to induce apoptosis in HEp-2 carcinoma cells in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of total phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and its isolectins on cell death and apoptosis in human HEp-2 carcinoma cells and to analyze the possible molecular mechanisms of lectin induced apoptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The commercial preparation of the kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectins and HEp-2 cells were used. Apoptosis index was determined using acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. The expression levels of apoptosis mediator cleaved caspase-3 and proapoptotic Bax protein were studied by Western blot analysis. The gene expression levels were analyzed by qPCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PHA and its isolectins induced apoptosis in HEp-2 cells accompanied by the increased expression of caspase-3 cleaved form, with PHA-E being the most effective. The treatment of HEp-2 cells with PHA or its isolectins resulted in a marked increase of Bax on both mRNA and protein levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PHA and its isolectins were shown to induce the apoptosis in human HEp-2 carcinoma cells via increasing proapoptotic protein Bax and activating caspases-3.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Kochubei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Maksymchuk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Piven
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lukash
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins