Rescue of ApoE4-related lysosomal autophagic failure in Alzheimer's disease by targeted small molecules.

Homozygosity for the ε4 allele of APOE increases the odds of developing Alzheimer's by 12 to 15 times relative to the most common ε3;ε3 genotype, and its association with higher plaque loads comports with evidence that APOEε4 compromises autophagy. The ApoE4 protein specifically binds a cis element ("CLEAR") in the promoters of several autophagy genes to block their transcription. We used a multifaceted approach to identify a druggable site in ApoE4, and virtual screening of lead-like compounds identified small molecules that specifically bind to this site to impede ApoE4::DNA binding.

Purification, characterization of an entomopathogenic fungal lectin from Purpureocillium lilacinum and its involvement in pathogenesis leading to mycotic keratitis.

A lectin PCL, from Purpureocillium lilacinum a saprophytic, filamentous fungus was purified from the crude extract of the mycelia using 70% ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by affinity chromatography on mucin-Sepharose 4 B column. PCL is a monomer with an apparent molecular mass of 18.5 kDa as revealed by SDS-PAGE under both reducing and non-reducing conditions.

Cephalosporium curvulum lectin causes mycotic keratitis by initiating infection through MyD88 dependent cellular proliferation and apoptosis in human corneal epithelial cells.

Physiological role of a core fucose specific lectin from Cephalosporium curvulum isolated from mycotic keratitis patient in mediating pathogenesis was reported earlier. CSL has opposite effects on HCECs, at the initiation of infection when lectin concentration is low, CSL induces proinflammatory response and at higher concentration it inhibits growth as the infection progresses. Here we delineate detailed mechanism of opposing effects of CSL by confirming the binding of CSL and anti TLR 2 and 4 antibodies to TLRs 2 and 4 purified from HCECs using Galectin-3 Sepharose 4B column.

A Polylactosamine Specific Lectin from Adenia hondala Induces Apoptosis and Necrosis in Human Epithelial Colon Cancer HT-29 Cells.

Background: Altered expression of N-glycans such as polylactosamine is observed in colon cancer. AHL, a polylactosamine specific lectin from Adenia hondala from a medicinal plant from the Passifloraceae family has been reported earlier.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to study the interaction of AHL with human colon cancer epithelial HT-29 cells and colon cancer tissues.

The fucose-specific lectin ANL from Aspergillus niger possesses anti-cancer activity by inducing the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in hepatocellular and colon cancer cells.

The L-fucose-specific lectin from Aspergillus niger (ANL), isolated from the corneal smears of a keratitis patient was reported earlier. Here, we examined the interaction of ANL with human hepatocellular and colon cancer cells, evaluated its anti-cancer activity and diagnostic potential to detect aberrantly glycosylated tumour-associated serum glycoproteins such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). We observed that ANL strongly bound to both HepG2 and HT-29 cell-lines and this interaction was effectively blocked with L-fucose and mucin in a dose and time-dependent manner with an IC of 1.

Aspergillus niger lectin elicits MyD88 dependent proliferation and apoptosis at lower and higher doses in immortalized human corneal epithelial cells leading to pathogenesis.

An L-fucose lectin, ANL from the corneal smears of a mycotic keratitis patient was reported earlier. Interaction of ANL with immortalized Human Corneal Epithelial Cells (HCECs) was studied in order to assign the role of ANL in pathogenesis. ANL showed strong binding to HCECs which could be blocked by L-fucose and mucin.

A core fucose specific lectin from Cephalosporium curvulum induces cellular apoptosis in hepatocellular and pancreatic cancer cells and effective in detecting AFP.

Cephalosporium curvulum lectin (CSL), a lectin from pathogenic fungus has exquisite specificity towards α1-6 linkage of core fucosylated glycans, expressed in hepatocellular and pancreatic cancer. Interaction and effect of CSL and other fucose specific lectins LCA and AOL on HepG2 and PANC-1 cells was investigated. CSL, LCA and AOL exhibited strong binding to PANC-1 cells which could be effectively blocked by competing glycoprotein mucin.

A lectin with anti-microbial and anti proliferative activities from Lantana camara, a medicinal plant.

Background: Lectins are known to possess interesting biological properties such as anti microbial, nematicidal, anti tumor and anti viral activities. Lantana camara from verbenaceae family is a medicinal plant known for possessing anti oxidant and anticancer activities. Since anticancer activity is reported in plant lectins, leaves of Lantana camara was used to check the presence of lectin.

An L-fucose specific lectin from Aspergillus niger isolated from mycotic keratitis patient and its interaction with human pancreatic adenocarcinoma PANC-1 cells.

An L-fucose specific lectin from pathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger isolated from the corneal smears of keratitis patient was purified in a single step using mucin coupled sepharose-4B column by 58-fold. The purified lectin, ANL has molecular mass of 30 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 31.6 kDa by ESI-MS.

Efficacy studies of Sclerotium rolfsii lectin on breast cancer using NOD SCID mouse model.

Expression of altered glycans such as TF, Tn, and sTn antigens has been observed in a number of carcinomas which are targeted in cancer therapy. Sclerotium rolfsii lectin (SRL) is known to recognize TF and its substituted forms. Clinical potential of SRL has been demonstrated by studying its interaction with different types of cancer cells.

Electron transfer dissociation of synthetic and natural peptides containing lanthionine/methyllanthionine bridges.

Rationale: The modes of cleavage of lanthionine/methyllanthionine bridges under electron transfer dissociation (ETD) were investigated using synthetic and natural lantipeptides. Knowledge of the mass spectrometric fragmentation of lanthionine/methyllanthionine bridges may assist in the development of analytical methods for the rapid discovery of new lantibiotics. The present study strengthens the advantage of ETD in the characterization of posttranslational modifications of peptides and proteins.