Lectin toxicity

Lectin toxicity - nausea, diarrhea, headache, confusion, dehydration, death Wisteria, castor bean (Ricinus communis) Lectins bind to cell surfaces Ricin - blocks protein synthesis, very toxic, 5 to 6 beans can kill a child... 

Most uses of c. are in the experimental stage. The main outlet is for skin and haircare in cosmetics and as coagulant and dewatering agent in waste water treatment. Other uses include adsorbents for metals (from seawater) and lectins (toxic plant proteins), textile finishes, artifical skin and vehicles for controlled release of flavors, pharmaceuticals and pesticides. 

Lectins, glycoproteins known for their ability to agglutinate erythrocytes in vitro, are present in many types of plants, including beans. Some lectins are toxic. Lectins interact with certain carbohydrates in a specific way. Lectins are still being studied. It appears that lectins may be involved in recognition between... 

Olsnes, S., and Pihl, A. (1982c) Toxic lectins and related proteins. In Molecular Action of Toxins and Viruses (P. Cohen, and S. van Heynigen, eds.), p. 51. Elsevier, New York. 

Olsnes, Sjur, Fiorenzo Stirpe, Kirsten Sandvig, and Alexander Pihl. "Isolation and Characterization of Viscumin, a Toxic Lectin from Viscum album L. (Mistletoe)." The Journal of Biological Chemistry 257 (1982) 13263-270. 

Stirpe, Fiorenzo, Luigi Barbieri, Ada Abbondanza, Anna Ida Falasca, Alex N.F. Brown, Kirsten Sandvig, Sjur Olsnes, and Alexander Pihl. "Properties of Volkensin, a Toxic Lectin from Adenia volkensii." The Journal of Biological Chemistry 260 (1985) 14589-595. 

Other approaches to induce gastrointestinal discomfort have far more serious toxic effects. The chemical colchicine stops cell division (an antimitotic), producing severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, which can lead to delirium, neuropathy, and kidney failure. On the other hand, colchicine is used in the treatment of gout and has been studied as an anticancer agent because it stops cell division. Most toxic of all are plants that produce lectins, and the most toxic of these is the chemical ricin produced by castor beans. Only 5 to 6 seeds are necessary to kill a small child. Fortunately, following oral consumption much of the ricin is destroyed in the stomach. Ricin is extremely effective at stopping protein synthesis, so much so that direct exposure to only 0.1 pg/kg can be fatal. 

N.A. Triterpenoid saponins, lectins, proteins, resin, mucilage." This herb is toxic. Anti-inflammatory, antiviral, treat rheumatic and arthritic conditions, respiratory tract infections. 

N.A. Ricinoleic acid, ricin, ricinine, lectins.99 The seeds are toxic. Laxative, prompting a bowel movement. 

There are many glycosylation mutants of cultured mammalian cells and yeast. They have been selected as rare survivors of treatments that kill cells expressing a particular carbohydrate or glycoprotein at the cell surface. For example, plants produce a variety of proteins, called lectins, which bind to cell surface oligosaccharides. Lectins are toxic to mammalian cells. They can be used to select for mutants that no longer bind the lectin because they lack a particular carbohydrate at the cell surface. Such glycosylation mutants have low amounts of glycoproteins that require carbohydrates for stable expression. 

Endo, Y. and Tsurugi, K. (1987) RNA N-glycosidase activity of ricin A-chain. Mechanism of action of the toxic lectin ricin on eukaryotic ribosomes. J. Biol. Chem. 262, 8128-8130. 

Recently, in collaboration with R. J. Kuchler and D. Cryan of the Bureau of Biological Research, Rutgers University, we have observed that Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts when cultured for prolonged periods with 25-400 Ug/ml of purified W. floribunda agglutinin accumulated massive amounts of vacuoles. This treatment with lectin is apparently not toxic to the cells as measured by the ability of treated cells to incorporate tritiated thymidine into cellular DNA. Figure 4 shows the effect on cells of treatment for 48 hours with 150 lig/ml of lectin as compared to cells treated in... 

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