Identification of bioactive peptides released from in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of yam proteins (Dioscorea cayennensis).

Bioactive peptides have been broadly studied for their contribution to human health. This study aimed to identify bioactive peptides generated by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of yam proteins. Yam protein concentrate (YPC) was submitted to simulated digestion.

Antiulcer and Antioxidant Activity of a Lectin from Mucuna pruriens Seeds on Ethanol- induced Gastropathy: Involvement of Alpha-2 Adrenoceptors and Prostaglandins.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mucuna pruriens (Mp) belongs to Leguminosae family, it is native of tropical regions and used to treat several maladies such as urinary, neurological, and menstruation disorders, constipation, edema, fever, tuberculosis, ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, dysentery, and cardiovascular diseases. Mp seeds are rich in bioactive compounds, for instance, lectins, a heterogeneous group of proteins and glycoproteins with a potential role as therapeutic tools for several conditions, including gastric disorders. This study investigated the acute toxicity, gastroprotective, and antioxidant activities of a lectin from Mucuna pruriens seeds (MpLec) on ethanol-induced gastropathy model in mice.

The efficacy of a lectin from Abelmoschus Esculentus depends on central opioid receptor activation to reduce temporomandibular joint hypernociception in rats.

Abelmoschus esculentus is largely cultivated in Northeastern Brazil for medicinal purposes, e.g. inflammatory conditions.

Lectin from seeds of a Brazilian lima bean variety (Phaseolus lunatus L. var. cascavel) presents antioxidant, antitumour and gastroprotective activities.

Lectins are proteins able to interact specifically and reversibly with carbohydrates. They are present in all living beings, particularly in legume seeds, which have many biological functions. The aim of this study was to isolate, characterize and verify antioxidant, anti-hemolytic, antitumor and gastroprotective activities in a lectin present in seeds of Phaseolus lunatus L.

Αlpha-2 Adrenergic and Opioids Receptors Participation in Mice Gastroprotection of Abelmoschus esculentus Lectin.

Lectins are a heterogeneous group of proteins and glycoproteins with potential role as therapeutic and diagnostic tools to combat various diseases, besides some functions on human organism. Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra), a horticultural plant of African origin, is cultivated in northeastern Brazil, and used for different medicinal purposes. This work is aimed to elucidate the action mechanisms of Abelmoschus esculentus lectin (AEL) gastro protective effect on gastropathy induced by ethanol.

Lectin from Abelmoschus esculentus reduces zymosan-induced temporomandibular joint inflammatory hypernociception in rats via heme oxygenase-1 pathway integrity and tnf-α and il-1β suppression.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders show inflammatory components, heavily impacting on quality of life. Abelmoschus esculentus is largely cultivated in Northeastern Brazil for medicinal purposes, having it shown anti-inflammatory activity. We evaluated A.

Proteolysis in goat "coalho" cheese supplemented with probiotic lactic acid bacteria.

This study aimed to analyse the proteolytic effects of adding isolated and combined probiotic strains to goat "coalho" cheese. The cheeses were: QS - with culture Start, composed by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and L.

Marine sponge lectins: actual status on properties and biological activities.

Marine sponges are primitive metazoans that produce a wide variety of molecules that protect them against predators. In studies that search for bioactive molecules, these marine invertebrates stand out as promising sources of new biologically-active molecules, many of which are still unknown or little studied; thus being an unexplored biotechnological resource of high added value. Among these molecules, lectins are proteins that reversibly bind to carbohydrates without modifying them.

Antibacterial and hemolytic activity of a new lectin purified from the seeds of Sterculia foetida L.

The aim of this study was to isolate, characterize, and verify possible antibacterial and hemolytic activity for a lectin found in the seeds of Sterculia foetida L. Purification of the lectin from S. foetida (SFL) was realized with ion exchange chromatography DEAE-Sephacel coupled to HPLC.

Comparative protein composition analysis of goat milk produced by the Alpine and Saanen breeds in northeastern Brazil and related antibacterial activities.

The protein composition of goat milk differs between goat breeds and could present regional trends. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze the protein composition of goat milk produced by the Alpine and Saanen breeds in northeastern Brazil and to evaluate the antibacterial activity of its protein fractions. SDS-PAGE, 2-DE electrophoresis and RP-HPLC analyses revealed the absence of αs1-casein in the milk of both breeds and no differences between the αs2-casein, β-casein, β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin profiles.

Molecular modeling of lectin-like protein from Acacia farnesiana reveals a possible anti-inflammatory mechanism in Carrageenan-induced inflammation.

Acacia farnesiana lectin-like protein (AFAL) is a chitin-binding protein and has been classified as phytohaemagglutinin from Phaseolus vulgaris (PHA). Legume lectins are examples for structural studies, and this family of proteins shows a remarkable conservation in primary, secondary, and tertiary structures. Lectins have ability to reduce the effects of inflammation caused by phlogistic agents, such as carrageenan (CGN).

Lectin of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) promotes selective antitumor effects in human breast cancer cells.

The anti-tumor effects of a newly-discovered lectin, isolated from okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (AEL), were investigated in human breast cancer (MCF7) and skin fibroblast (CCD-1059 sk) cells. AEL induced significant cell growth inhibition (63 %) in MCF7 cells. The expression of pro-apoptotic caspase-3, caspase-9, and p21 genes was increased in MCF7 cells treated with AEL, compared to those treated with controls.

Interactions between indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) with a lectin from Canavalia maritima seeds reveal a new function for lectins in plant physiology.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) bound is considered a storage molecule and is inactive. However, some studies have proposed an additional possible regulatory mechanism based on the ability of lectins to form complexes with IAA. We report the first crystal structure of ConM in complex with IAA at 2.

Assessment of plant lectin antifungal potential against yeasts of major importance in medical mycology.

The search for new compounds with antifungal activity is accelerating due to rising yeast and fungal resistance to commonly prescribed drugs. Among the molecules being investigated, plant lectins can be highlighted. The present work shows the potential of six plant lectins which were tested in vitro against yeasts of medical importance, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Cryptococcus gattii, Cryptococcus neoformans, Malassezia pachydermatis, Rhodotorula sp.

Involvement of ABCB1 and ABCC1 transporters in sea urchin Echinometra lucunter fertilization.

Fertilization is an ordered sequence of cellular interactions that promotes gamete fusion to form a new individual. Since the pioneering work of Oskar Hertwig conducted on sea urchins, echinoderms have contributed to the understanding of cellular and molecular aspects of the fertilization processes. Studies on sea urchin spermatozoa reported the involvement of a plasma membrane protein that belongs to the ABC proteins superfamily in the acrosome reaction.

Purification and biological activities of Abelmoschus esculentus seed lectin.

The Abelmoschus esculentus (Malvaceae) plant originated in Africa and has spread across a number of tropic countries, including northeastern Brazil. The plant has been used to treat various disorders, such as cancer, microbial infections, hypoglycemia, constipation, urine retention and inflammation. The lectin of A.

Spectroscopic and thermooxidative analysis of organic okra oil and seeds from Abelmoschus esculentus.

With changes in human consumption from animal fats to vegetable oils, the search for seed types, often from unconventional vegetable sources has grown. Research on the chemical composition of both seed and oil for Brazilian Okra in South America is still incipient. In this study, flour and oil from organic Okra seeds (Abelmoschus esculentus L Moench), grown in northeastern Brazil were analyzed.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of a lectin-like substance from Clitoria fairchildiana R. Howard seeds.

Lectins are proteins that have the ability to bind specifically and reversibly to carbohydrates and glycoconjugates, without altering the structure of the glycosyl ligand. They are found in organisms such as viruses, plants and humans, and they have been shown to possess important biological activities. The objective of this study was to purify and characterize lectins in the seeds of Clitoria fairchildiana, as well as to verify their biological activities.

Structure of Dioclea virgata lectin: Relations between carbohydrate binding site and nitric oxide production.

The lectin of Dioclea virgata (DvirL), both native and complexed with X-man, was submitted to X-ray diffraction analysis and the crystal structure was compared to that of other Diocleinae lectins in order to better understand differences in biological properties, especially with regard to the ability of lectins to induce nitric oxide (NO) production. An association was observed between the volume of the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), the ability to induce NO production and the relative positions of Tyr12, Arg228 and Leu99. Thus, differences in biological activity induced by Diocleinae lectins are related to the configuration of amino acid residues in the carbohydrate binding site and to the structural conformation of subsequent regions capable of influencing site-ligand interactions.

Mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis of two crystal types of Dioclea virgata lectin: an antinociceptive protein candidate to structure/function analysis.

The lectin from seeds of Dioclea virgata (DvirL) was purified in a single step affinity chromatography, sequenced by tandem mass spectrometry and submitted to crystallization and biological experiments. DvirL has a molecular mass of 25,412 ± 2 Da and the chains β and γ has 12,817 Da ± 2 and 12,612 Da ± 2, respectively. Primary sequence determination was assigned by tandem mass spectrometry and revealed a protein with 237 amino acids and 87% of identify with ConA.

Central action of Araucaria angustifolia seed lectin in mice.

Possible central nervous system effects of the gymnosperm lectin from Araucaria angustifolia seeds were studied in seizure and open field tests. Male Swiss mice were administered saline (control), lectin (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg), flumazenil (1 mg/kg), or diazepam (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally.

Structure of a lectin from Canavalia gladiata seeds: new structural insights for old molecules.

Background: Lectins are mainly described as simple carbohydrate-binding proteins. Previous studies have tried to identify other binding sites, which possible recognize plant hormones, secondary metabolites, and isolated amino acid residues. We report the crystal structure of a lectin isolated from Canavalia gladiata seeds (CGL), describing a new binding pocket, which may be related to pathogen resistance activity in ConA-like lectins; a site where a non-protein amino-acid, alpha-aminobutyric acid (Abu), is bound.

Purification and biological effects of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) seed lectin.

This paper describes the purification and characterization of a new N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-specific lectin from Araucaria angustifolia (AaL) seeds (Araucariaceae) and its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. AaL was purified using a combination of affinity chromatography on a chitin column and ion exchange chromatography on Sephacel-DEAE. The pure protein has 8.

Modulation of acute inflammation by a chitin-binding lectin from Araucaria angustifolia seeds via mast cells.

The effects of a lectin (AaL) from seeds of Araucaria angustifolia were investigated in the model of rat paw edema. In vivo anti-and pro-inflammatory activities, role of sugar residues, inflammatory mediators and systemic toxicity were assessed. Intravenous injection of AaL (0.

Crystal structure of a lectin from Canavalia maritima (ConM) in complex with trehalose and maltose reveals relevant mutation in ConA-like lectins.

The crystal structure of Canavalia maritima lectin (ConM) complexed with trehalose and maltose revealed relevant point mutations in ConA-like lectins. ConM with the disaccharides and other ConA-like lectins complexed with carbohydrates demonstrated significant differences in the position of H-bonds. The main difference in the ConM structure is the replacement of Pro202 by Ser202, a residue that promotes the approximation of Tyr12 to the carbohydrate-binding site.