A novel chitin-binding lectin was isolated from the tubers of a plant Aponogeton natans from the monocot family Aponogetonaceae, designated as ANTL (Aponogeton natans tuber lectin). The lectin agglutinated both untreated and trypsin-treated rabbit erythrocytes, as well as human blood cells of groups A, B and O with different specificities. Lectin activity is inhibited by the oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine. ANTL is a dimeric glycoprotein with molecular weight of ~66 KDa and has two identical sub-units of 33 KDa. The carbohydrate percent is 8.2% of the total lectin. The lectin was thermo stable up to 50 C with broad pH optima (pH 4 to 10). ANTL is found to be potent mitogen for normal murine and human lymphocytes at the concentration as low as 1 ug/ml. Cytotoxic studies of the lectin on human U 266 cell lines has revealed that there is 50% decrease in the proliferation. The confirmation of both the hemagglutination and mitogenic proliferation activity suggests that ANTL is a Chitin-binding lectin with diverse functions. The pharmacological relevance of ANTL as a potent mitogen with some cytotoxic effect in certain cell lines are reported for the first time.

中文翻译：

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南美蓬树块茎中高血凝性几丁质结合凝集素的纯化和部分表征

从单子叶植物Aponogetonaceae的植物Aponogeton natans的块茎中分离出一种新型的几丁质结合凝集素，命名为ANTL（Aponogeton natans tuber lectin）。凝集素凝集未处理和经胰蛋白酶处理的兔红细胞，以及具有不同特异性的A，B和O组的人血细胞。N-乙酰氨基葡糖的低聚物抑制凝集素的活性。ANTL是一种二聚体糖蛋白，分子量约为66 KDa，具有两个相同的33 KDa的亚基。碳水化合物百分比为总凝集素的8.2％。所述凝集素在高达50℃的温度下具有最适pH范围（pH 4至10）的热稳定性。发现ANTL是正常鼠和人淋巴细胞的有效促分裂原，其浓度低至1 ug / ml。凝集素对人U 266细胞系的细胞毒性研究表明，其增殖降低了50％。血凝和促有丝分裂增殖活性的证实表明ANTL是具有多种功能的几丁质结合凝集素。首次报道了ANTL作为有效的促细胞分裂剂在某些细胞系中具有一定细胞毒性作用的药理学意义。