Title:Neutrophil Activation Induced by Plant Lectins: Modulation of Inflammatory Processes
Volume: 11
Issue: 6
Author(s): Gabriela Pereira-da-Silva, Fernanda Caroline Carvalho and Maria Cristina Roque-Barreira
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Activation, inflammation, lectins, modulation, neutrophil, plant, migration, degranulation, phagocytosis, apoptosis, Vatairea macrocarpa, Pisum arvense, Dioclea rostrata
Abstract: Lectins are ubiquitous proteins that exhibit selective and reversible carbohydrate-binding activities, and have
become increasingly known as cell recognition mediators in a wide range of biological systems. Besides being useful
tools in the study of underlying mechanisms involved in inflammation, lectins have also emerged as suitable molecules
for pharmaceutical applications. Since the discovery that mammalian lectins exert crucial roles in neutrophil adhesion,
mobilization, and activation, the experimental use of lectins from exogenous sources, such as plants, as modulators of
leukocyte functions has been considered. Indeed, specific mammalian cell responses triggered by different plant lectins
have contributed to delineation of the signaling mechanisms underlying cell adhesion, intracellular activation, and
modulation of cell responses. This review presents a comprehensive summary of research concerning the effects of plant
lectins on the main physiological activities of neutrophils, such as migration, degranulation, release of inflammatory
mediators, phagocytosis, and apoptosis. The reports included herein illustrate the modulation of inflammatory processes
by plant lectins.
