A mannose-binding lectin from Sophora flavescens induces apoptosis in HeLa cells

作者：Liu, Zhen; Liu, Bo; Zhang, Zi-Ting; Zhou, Ting-Ting; Bian, He-Jiao; Min, Ming-Wei; Liu, Yan-Hong; Chen, Jing; Bao, Jin-Ku^*

来源：Phytomedicine, 2008, 15(10): 867-875.

DOI：10.1016/j.phymed.2008.02.025

• Sophora flavescens lectin
• Anti-tumor
• Apoptosis
• Caspase
• Mannose-binding activity

The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor activity of a lectin from Sophora flavescens and explore its potential apoptotic induction mechanism. Here, an elegant series of biochemical and cell biology methods were carried out in a sequential procedure (e.g., MTT, cell morphologic changes and LDH assays, DNA ladder as well as flow cytometric assay). As a result, we found that this lectin shows a strong cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and induces apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, according to caspase inhibition and Western blot analysis, we further demonstrated that it is a typical caspase-dependent apoptotic mechanism. Furthermore, we also exerted some bioinformatics methods to identify the mannose-binding specificity of this lectin. In conclusion, all experimental results demonstrated that this lectin seems to be a potent anti-tumor agent for its cytotoxicity and apoptosis effects on HeLa cells. Also, bioinformatics analyses showed that this lectin is speculated to bind a certain mannose-containing receptor on cancer cell surface thereby initiating downstream caspase cascade.

• 出版日期2008-10
• 单位四川大学; 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室; 中国人民解放军第二军医大学