Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are known for their nutritional and medicinal properties, as well as their diversity of bioactive compounds, including lectins. Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that play a crucial role in various biological processes. They are abundant in mushrooms, and a variety of lectins have been isolated from edible mushrooms. Mushroom lectins exhibit a diversity of chemical characteristics, with molecular weights ranging from 12 to 190 kDa and sugar contents from 0 to 18%. They have been studied for their potential therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications, particularly their antitumor, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. This topic explores the presence of lectins in mushrooms, their structural characteristics, biological activities, and potential benefits to human health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. |
| Sources | Plants have been the most extensively studied source of lectins. However, mushrooms are also a source of lectins. |
| Types of mushroom with lectins | Agaricus species, Amanita pantherina, Boletus satanas, Coprinus cinereus, Ganoderma lucidum, Flammulina velutipes, Grifola frondosa, Hericium erinaceum, Ischnoderma resinosum, Lactarius deterrimus, Laetiporus sulphureus, Tricholoma mongolicum, Volvariella volvacea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, Agaricus bisporus, Agrocybe cylindracea, Boletus edulis, Ganoderma capense, Lentinus edoles, Pleurotus cornucopiae, Xerocomus chrysenteron, Podospora anserina, Neurospora crassa, Clitocybe geophyla, Paecilomyces japonica, Lactarius lignyotus, Phallus impudicus |
| Molecular weights | 12-190 kDa |
| Sugar content | 0-18% |
| Carbohydrate specificities | Galactose, lactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, fucose, raffinose, N-glycolyneuraminic acid, N-acetyl-D-lactosamine |
| Biological processes | Cellular signaling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell-cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation, protein targeting to cellular compartments, host defence mechanisms, inflammation, cancer, malignancy, metastasis |
| Applications | Taxonomy, embryology, bacteriological studies, membrane glycoconjugates, cancer research, cell sorting, sorting of mutant and tumor cells, isolation of membrane and serum glyconjugates |
| Therapeutic potential | Anti-proliferative effects on human epithelial cancer cells, antiproliferative/antitumumor activities, immunomodulatory activities, antiviral activity, therapeutic potential as an antineoplastic agent, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatitis B virus |
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What You'll Learn
- Lectins are found in edible mushrooms like Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus citrinopileatus
- Mushroom lectins have anti-tumour, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties
- Lectins play a crucial role in cellular signalling, cell–cell interactions, differentiation, and protein targeting
- Mushroom lectins have been used in taxonomical, embryological, bacteriological, and cancer research
- Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures with high selectivity
Lectins are found in edible mushrooms like Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus citrinopileatus
Mushrooms are well-known for their nutritional and medicinal qualities, as well as the variety of bioactive compounds they contain, including lectins. Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. They play a crucial role in various biological processes, including cellular signaling, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, and host defense mechanisms.
Lectins have been found in edible mushrooms such as Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus citrinopileatus. These mushroom lectins exhibit a range of chemical characteristics and biological activities. For example, the lectin isolated from Agaricus bisporus, a common button mushroom, has been shown to reversibly inhibit epithelial cell proliferation and block nuclear localization sequence-dependent nuclear protein import. This suggests potential therapeutic applications.
Pleurotus ostreatus, also known as the oyster mushroom, contains a dimeric lectin composed of subunits with molecular weights of 40 and 41 kDa. This lectin exhibits hemagglutinating activity that can be inhibited by specific sugars and salts. On the other hand, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, or the golden oyster mushroom, contains a homodimeric lectin with a molecular weight of 32.4 kDa. This lectin demonstrates potent antitumor activity and unique biological activities, including high hemagglutinating activity.
The presence of lectins in these edible mushrooms highlights their potential as a source of novel compounds with therapeutic benefits. Further research and characterization of mushroom lectins may lead to advancements in medicine, particularly in the areas of cancer research and immunomodulation. The diverse chemical and biological properties of mushroom lectins provide a vast array of possibilities for exploration and exploitation in various scientific and medical fields.
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Mushroom lectins have anti-tumour, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties
Mushrooms are known for their nutritional and medicinal properties, as well as their diversity of bioactive compounds, including lectins. Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. They play a crucial role in various biological processes, including cellular signalling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation, and protein targeting to cellular compartments.
Mushroom lectins have attracted significant attention due to their potential therapeutic properties. They have been found to exhibit antitumor, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. In terms of their antitumor properties, mushroom lectins have been shown to prolong survival and reduce body weight increase in mice bearing sarcoma and hepatoma. This suggests that lectins may have potential as future antitumor drugs.
The antiproliferative potential of mushroom lectins is attributed to their ability to cross-link cell surface glycoconjugates and exert immunomodulatory effects. Lectins from specific mushroom species, such as Agrocybe cylindracea, Boletus edulis, and Ganoderma lucidum, have been reported to be sensitive to inhibition by various sugars and sugar derivatives. This highlights the diversity of mushroom lectins and their potential for further exploration.
The antiviral properties of mushroom lectins are also of interest. Lectins have been found to inhibit the entry of viruses, such as HIV, by binding to viral envelope glycoproteins. This mechanism of action presents a promising area for the development of novel antiviral therapies to combat emerging and re-emerging viral diseases. Furthermore, mushroom lectins have been reported to possess immunomodulatory activities, which can contribute to their therapeutic potential. Given that only about 10% of mushroom species have been taxonomically classified, mushrooms represent a vast reservoir of potentially useful novel lectins that warrant further investigation.
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Lectins play a crucial role in cellular signalling, cell–cell interactions, differentiation, and protein targeting
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules. They cause agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates and polysaccharides. Lectins play a crucial role in cellular signalling, cell–cell interactions, differentiation, and protein targeting.
Cellular Signalling
Lectins have a role in recognition at the cellular and molecular level and play numerous roles in biological recognition phenomena involving cells, carbohydrates, and proteins. Lectins also mediate the attachment and binding of bacteria, viruses, and fungi to their intended targets.
Cell–Cell Interactions
Lectins are found in many foods, including beans, grains, and mushrooms. The binding of lectins to cells in the digestive tract may disrupt the breakdown and absorption of some nutrients. Lectins can bind to cells for long periods, and some theories suggest that they may play a role in certain inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.
Differentiation
Lectins have been used as tools to study the differentiation programs of mouse gut epithelial cell lineages. They have provided insights into the development of mucous neck cells in rat gastric mucosa and the maturation process of mucus-secreting gastric epithelial cells.
Protein Targeting
Lectins can act as receptors that recognize hydrolytic enzymes containing mannose-6-phosphate, targeting these proteins for delivery to the lysosomes. Lectins also play a crucial role in the innate immune system, mediating the first line of defence against invading microorganisms.
In summary, lectins are versatile proteins that play a significant role in cellular processes, immune responses, and maintaining physiological functions.
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Mushroom lectins have been used in taxonomical, embryological, bacteriological, and cancer research
Mushrooms are well-known for their nutritional and medicinal values, as well as the diversity of bioactive compounds they contain, including lectins. Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. They play a crucial role in various biological processes such as cellular signaling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation, and protein targeting to cellular compartments. They are also important in host defence mechanisms, inflammation, and cancer.
Mushroom lectins have been used in taxonomical research. For example, the taxonomic study of protozoan parasites has been performed using the agglutinating extracts from several macrofungi. In biomedical research, purified lectins are used to determine blood type due to the specificity of carbohydrate structures present on the cell surface of erythrocytes. Among the mushroom lectins, MOA has been reported to be specific for blood group B, while CGL2 is specific for blood group A tetrasaccharide.
In embryological research, the use of the Pleurotus ostreatus lectin (POL) as an adjuvant in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA vaccination has been reported to stimulate the immune response in transgenic mice.
Mushroom lectins have also been used in bacteriological research. For example, the isolation of a heterodimeric lectin from the edible mushroom Volvariella volvacea in 1984 encouraged the search for potential agents in lectins from mushrooms for cancer therapy. This lectin has a moderate inhibitory effect on the growth of tumor cells. A Gal β-1,3-GalNAc-specific lectin from the edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus (ABL) purified by Yu et al. has reversible noncytotoxic inhibiting effects on epithelial cell proliferation. An N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin (GFL) from Grifola frondosa (GFL) fruiting bodies shows cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells. Lectins isolated from the mushroom Tricholoma mongolicum (TML1 and TML2) exhibited antiproliferative activity.
In cancer research, mushroom lectins have been found to have antitumor, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory activities. For example, AAL-galectin suppresses tumors through apoptosis-inducing activity in cancer cells.
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Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures with high selectivity
Lectins are a group of non-immunoglobulin, sugar-binding proteins. They are found in many foods, including beans, grains, and mushrooms. Lectins play a crucial role in various biological processes, such as cellular signaling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation, and protein targeting to cellular compartments. They also have a role in host defense mechanisms, inflammation, and cancer.
Mushrooms, in particular, are a good source of lectins. They have been studied for their nutritional and medicinal values and their diversity of bioactive compounds, including lectins. Mushroom lectins exhibit a range of chemical characteristics, with molecular weights ranging from 12 to 190 kDa and sugar contents from 0 to 18%. Some mushroom lectins have been found to possess antitumor, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. For example, a lectin isolated from the mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus exhibited potent antitumor activity in mice.
The structure of lectins is an important aspect of their function. They typically have one or more carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) that allow them to bind to specific carbohydrates or glycoproteins. This binding can occur independently of enzymes and immunoglobulins, and it does not alter the covalent structure of any recognized glycosyl ligands. The interaction between lectins and carbohydrates is usually weak, but many lectins exist as oligomers to achieve strength and specificity.
Lectins have been studied for their potential applications in various scientific fields. They have been used in taxonomical, embryological, and bacteriological studies, as well as in cancer research and cell sorting. The first study on mushroom lectins was reported in 1910 during toxicological investigations on Amanita muscaria, where lectin activity was associated with the toxicity of the mushroom.
Overall, lectins are an important group of proteins that play a significant role in various biological processes, and mushrooms are a valuable source of these compounds for potential medicinal use.
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Frequently asked questions
Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind to diverse sugar structures. They play a crucial role in various biological processes such as cellular signaling, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation, and protein targeting to cellular compartments.
Yes, lectins are found in mushrooms. Mushroom lectins have been shown to possess important biological functions and therapeutic potential. They have been studied for their anti-tumor, antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities.
Lectins have been found in a variety of mushrooms, including Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, and Amanita muscaria.
