Lectins as inducers of interferon-gamma production in human lymphocytes: lentil lectin is highly efficient

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of immunology Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 327
• Main Authors: Rönnblom, L, Funa, K, Ersson, B, Alm, G V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.10.1982
• Subjects: Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Interferon Inducers; Interferon Type I - biosynthesis; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Lectins - pharmacology; Lymphocytes - immunology; Macrophages - immunology; Plant Lectins; T-Lymphocytes - immunology
• ISSN: 0300-9475
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1982.tb00731.x

Several of many tested plant lectins induced interferon (IFN) production in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBL). The mannose-binding lectin obtained from Lens culinaris (LCL) was a particularly efficient inducer of trypsin-sensitive antiviral activity, which qualified as IFN-gamma because it was 90-95% destroyed by pH 2 treatment but not neutralized by anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. However, such antibodies neutralized the residual 5-10% pH 2-resistant IFN, which therefore represented IFN-alpha. Further evidence for the IFN-gamma nature of the LCL-induced IFN was that its production in PBL cultures required both T lymphocytes and macrophages and that its induction of antiviral resistance in human amnion cells was significantly delayed compared with IFN-alpha. Under optimal conditions LCL induced titres of IFN-gamma corresponding to more than 20,000 IFN-alpha units/ml medium, higher than observed with other tested, established IFN-gamma inducers. Other desirable properties of this lectin, as discussed, also suggest that it will be of value for efficient large-scale IFN-gamma production.