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A Tn antigen binding lectin from Myrsine coriacea displays toxicity in human cancer cell lines

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Abstract

The Tn antigen (GalNAc-O-Ser/Thr) is one of the most specific human cancer-associated structures. In the present study we characterize the biochemical and functional properties of the Myrsine coriacea lectin (McL). We show that McL is an unusual high molecular weight highly glycosylated protein, which displays a strong Tn binding activity. The lectin exhibits in vitro inhibition of proliferation in the six cancer cell lines evaluated, in a dose-dependent manner (the strongest activity being against HT-29 and HeLa cells), whereas it does not exhibit toxicity against normal lymphocytes. McL could be exploited in the design of potential new tools for the diagnosis or treatment of cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Juan José Calvete, Henia Balter, Silvia Soulé, Luis Ubillos and Mrs. Paola Mora for technical assistance. We thank Dr. Gloria Serra for providing us with mitomycin. This work was partially supported by the Comisión Honoraria de Lucha Contra el Cáncer (Uruguay), CSIC-Grupos de Investigación grant (Uruguay), and Program for Development of Basic Sciences (PEDECIBA-Química).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av. Gral. Flores 2125, 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Andrea Medeiros

  2. Laboratorio de Glicobiología e Inmunología Tumoral, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Nora Berois & Eduardo Osinaga

  3. Cátedra de Química Farmacéutica, DQO, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Av. Gral. Flores 2124, 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Marcelo Incerti

  4. Unité de Chimie des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, and CNRS UMR 3523, Paris, France

    Sylvie Bay

  5. Cátedra de Bioquímica, Departamento de Biociencias, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Av. Gral. Flores 2124, 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Laura Franco Fraguas

  6. Departamento de Inmunobiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av. Gral. Flores 2125, 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Eduardo Osinaga

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  1. Andrea Medeiros
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  2. Nora Berois
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  3. Marcelo Incerti
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  6. Eduardo Osinaga
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Correspondence to Eduardo Osinaga.

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Medeiros, A., Berois, N., Incerti, M. et al. A Tn antigen binding lectin from Myrsine coriacea displays toxicity in human cancer cell lines. J Nat Med 67, 247–254 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0671-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0671-x

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