Structural analysis of Centrolobium tomentosum seed lectin with inflammatory activity.

A glycosylated lectin (CTL) with specificity for mannose and glucose has been detected and purified from seeds of Centrolobium tomentosum, a legume plant from Dalbergieae tribe. It was isolated by mannose-sepharose affinity chromatography. The primary structure was determined by tandem mass spectrometry and consists of 245 amino acids, similar to other Dalbergieae lectins. CTL structures were solved from two crystal forms, a monoclinic and a tetragonal, diffracted at 2.25 and 1.9 Å, respectively. The carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), metal-binding site and glycosylation site were characterized, and the structural basis for mannose/glucose-binding was elucidated. The lectin adopts the canonical dimeric organization of legume lectins. CTL showed acute inflammatory effect in paw edema model. The protein was subjected to ligand screening (dimannosides and trimannoside) by molecular docking, and interactions were compared with similar lectins possessing the same ligand specificity. This is the first crystal structure of mannose/glucose native seed lectin with proinflammatory activity isolated from the Centrolobium genus.

Neutrophil-infiltrated paw edema induced by mannose-binding Dioclea violacea lectin.

BACKGROUND: The potential edematogenic effect and the pharmacological characterization of a glucose-mannose-binding lectin from Dioclea violacea (DvL) were investigated. METHODS: Paw edema was induced with DvL in control animals, and in animals pretreated with glucocorticoid or with blockers of histamine, nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, platelet activating factor (PAF), bradykinin and lipoxygenase. RESULTS: DvL-induced paw edema paralleled with an increase in vascular permeability and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. DvL-induced edema could be prevented by pre-treatment with the lectin-binding sugar α-D-methyl mannoside. Dexamethasone, meclizine and Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) inhibited this effect. CONCLUSIONS: DvL induces edema, increase in vascular permeability and neutrophil infiltration. The edematogenic activity involves the lectin mannose-binding sites and is associated with histamine, cytokines and nitric oxide, since it could be treated with meclizine, dexamethasone and L-NAME.

Neutrophil migration in mice induced by a mannose-binding lectin isolated from Annona coriacea seeds.

A novel 14-kDa lectin from Annona coriacea seeds (ACLEC) with hemagglutinating activity on erythrocytes has been recently described. Since plant lectins are known to present inflammatory activity, this study aimed to investigate the leukocyte migration induced by ACLEC, and inflammatory mediators involved in this phenomenon. Male Swiss mice were intraperitoneally injected with ACLEC (3-100 microg/cavity), and at 4-96 h thereafter the leukocyte counts in peritoneal lavage fluid were evaluated. ACLEC induced a dose-dependent neutrophil accumulation, reaching maximal responses at 16 h after injection (approximately 40-fold increase for 30 microg/cavity). Significant accumulation of mononuclear cells was observed at 72 h (2.7-fold increase). The carbohydrate mannose nearly abolished the neutrophil influx, whereas sucrose, glucose and galactose had no effect. Dexamethasone, the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor celecoxib and the Platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist PCA4248 significantly reduced ACLEC-induced neutrophil influx. The tachykinin NK(1) antagonist SR140333, the tachykinin NK(2) antagonist SR48968, the non-selective NO inhibitor L-NAME, the selective inducible NOS inhibitor aminoguanidine and the lypoxygenase inhibitor AA861 all failed to modify the ACLEC-induced responses. In conclusion, ACLEC is able to attract neutrophils into the mice peritoneal cavity by mechanisms involving interactions of the lectin with cell-specific mannose recognition, leading to the release of COX-2-derived mediators and PAF.