In vitro influence of Phaseolus vulgaris, Griffonia simplicifolia, concanavalin A, wheat germ, and peanut agglutinins on HCT-15, LoVo, and SW837 human colorectal cancer cell growth.
Open Access
- 1 February 1997
- Vol. 40 (2), 253-261
- https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.40.2.253
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Compared with normal colonic mucosa, lectin receptor expression is increased in hyperplastic and neoplastic tissues; some lectins have been shown to influence human colonic epithelial cell proliferation. The aim was to assess further the influence of five lectins (Phaseolus vulgaris (PNA), Griffonia simplicifolia (GSA), concanavalin A (Con A), wheat germ (WGA), and peanut (PHA-L) agglutinins) on cellular growth in three human colorectal cancer cell lines (LoVo, HCT-15 and SW837). METHODS: Cells were cultured in four lectin concentrations (0.1, 1.0, 10, and 100 micrograms/ml) and growth assessed at days 2, 3, 5, and 7. The experiments were performed in media supplemented with either 1% or 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Growth was assessed using the MTT (3-(4,5)-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) colorimetric assay. RESULTS: Growth in each cell line was greatly affected by at least two of the lectins tested. There was some variation in the effect of a given lectin on different cell lines. Lectin effects showed a dose-response and the greatest effects generally resulted from the highest concentrations at the longest culture time. WGA and Con A induced large effects in all cell lines; the effects of Con A were partly blocked by the higher concentration of FCS. PNA had modest and uniform stimulatory effects overall. The effects of GSA and PHA-L varied between cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: The lectins studied all have the potential to affect colonic cancer growth in vitro. Many dietary lectins are resistant to digestion and may have important effects in vitro but the definition of their role in human colonic cancer biology must take into account the variability in lectin response.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Concanavalin A induced apoptosis in fibroblasts: The role of cell surface carbohydrates in lectin mediated cytotoxicityJournal of Cellular Physiology, 1995
- Characterisation of the influence of anti-gastrin, anti-epidermal growth factor, anti-oestradiol, and anti-luteinising hormone releasing hormone antibodies on the proliferation of 27 cell lines from the gastrointestinal tract.Gut, 1995
- The lectin Griffonia simpucifolia I‐A4 (GS I‐A4) specifically recognizes terminal α‐linked N‐acetylgalactosaminyl groups and is cytotoxic to the human colon cancer cell lines LS174t and SW1116International Journal of Cancer, 1994
- Characterization of the differentiation of human colorectal cancer cell lines by means of Voronoi diagramsCytometry, 1993
- Peanut Lectin: A Mitogen for Normal Human Colonic Epithelium and Human HT29 Colorectal Cancer CellsJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1992
- Lectin reactivities as intermediate biomarkers in premalignant colorectal epitheliumJournal of Cellular Biochemistry, 1992
- Digital morphonuclear analyses of sensitive versus resistant neoplastic cells to vinca-alkaloid, alkylating, and intercalating drugsCytometry, 1991
- Dietary Fiber, Vegetables, and Colon Cancer: Critical Review and Meta-analyses of the Epidemiologic EvidenceJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1990
- Glycoprotein abnormalities in colonic carcinomata, adenomata, and hyperplastic polyps shown by lectin peroxidase histochemistry.Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1986
- Nutritional evaluation of kidney beans (phaseolus vulgaris): The isolation and partial Characterisation of Toxic ConstituentsJournal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1975