Specific Plant Lectins

A number of mannose-specific agglutinines (lectins) from Galanthus nivalis, Hippeastrum hybrid, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Listera ovata, Cymbidium hybrid, Epipactis helleborine, and the N-acetylglucosamine-specific lectin from Urtica dioica have been found to inhibit HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection at similar concentrations as dextran sulfate (IC50 0.2 to 0.6 fig/ml), or even lower (IC50 0.04 to 0.08 pg/ml. Akin to sulfated polysaccharides, the plant lectins also exhibit activity against various enveloped viruses other than HIV, i.e., HSV-1, HSV-2, CMV, RSV, and influenza virus. Plant lectins would primarily interfere with the virus-cell fusion process. Their precise mode of action remains to be resolved. 

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Balzarini J, Schols D, Neyts J, Van Damme E, Penmans W, De Clercq E. a-(1-3)- and a-(l-6)-d-mannose-specific plant lectins are markedly inhibitory to human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus infections in vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1991 35 410-416. 

Balzarini J, Neyts J, Schols D, Hosoya M, Van Damme E, Peumans W, De Clercq E. The mannose-specific plant lectins from Cymbidium hybrid and Epipactis helleborine and the (TV-acetylglucosamine)w-specific plant lectin from Urtica dioica are potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus replication in vitro. Antiviral Res 1992 18 191-207. 

D. K. Mandal and C. F. Brewer, Crosslinking activity of the 14-kilodalton -galactose-specific vertebrate lectin with asialofetuin Comparison with several galactose-specific plant lectins, Biochemistry, 31 (1992) 8465-8472. 

Lectins The mannose-specific plant lectins from Galanthus, Hippeastrum, Narcissus, Epipactis helleborine, and Listera ovata, and the V-acctylglucosaminc-spccilic lectin from Urtica dioica would primarily be targeted at the virus-cell fusion process. 

Balzarini, J., Van Laethem, K., Hatse, S., Vermeire, K., De Clercq, E., Peumans, W., Van Damme, E., Vandamme, A. M., Bolm-stedt. A., Schols, D. Profile of resistance of human immunodeficiency vims to man-nose-specific plant lectins.. Virol. 2004, 78, 10617-10627... 

Balzarini, J. Schols, D. Neyts, J. Van Damme, E. Peumans, W. De Clercq, E. a-(l-3)-D- Mannose-Specific Plant Lectins Are Markedly Inhibitory to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Cytomegalovirus Infections In Vitro. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 1991, 35, 410-416. 

Scheme 5.10 Dynamic generation around a metal-coordination center targeting GalNAc-specific plant lectins.

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