title: White kidney bean lectin exerts anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on cancer cells.
abstract: A 60-kDa glucosamine binding lectin, white kidney bean lectin (WKBL), was purified from Phaseolus vulgaris cv. white kidney beans, by application of anion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, and FPLC-size exclusion on Superdex 75. The anti-proliferative activity of WKBL on HONE1 cells and HepG2 cells was stronger than the activity on MCF7 cells and WRL68 cells (IC50 values for a 48-h treatment with WKBL on HONE1 cells: 18.8 μM; HepG2 cells: 19.7 μM; MCF7 cells: 26.9 μM; and WRL68 cells: >80 μM). The activity could be reduced by addition of glucosamine, which occupies the binding sites of WKBL, indicating that carbohydrate binding is crucial for the activity. Annexin V-FITC and PI staining, JC-1 staining and Hoechst 33342 staining revealed that apoptosis was induced on WKBL-treated HONE1 cells and HepG2 cells, but not as obviously on MCF7 cells. Cell cycle analysis also showed a slight cell cycle arrest on HONE1 cells after WKBL treatment. Western blotting suggested that WKBL induced apoptosis of HONE1 cells occurred through the extrinsic apoptosis pathway, with detection of increased level of active caspase 3, 8 and 9.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shenzhen University, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Nanhai Ave 3688, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, PR China. Electronic address: chanyausang@szu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yau Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shenzhen University, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Nanhai Ave 3688, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, PR China. Electronic address: xialixin@szu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Lo Kwee Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. Electronic address: b021770@mailserv.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Tzi Bun
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D037121:Plant Lectins; D020169:Caspases; D005944:Glucosamine
keywords: Apoptosis; Caspase; Glucosamine; Kidney bean; Lectin