Differential effect of plant lectins on mast cells of different origins

Histamine release induced by plant lectins was studied with emphasis on the carbohydrate specificity, external calcium requirement, metal binding sites, and mast cell heterogeneity and on the importance of antibodies bound to the mast cell membrane to the lectin effect. Peritoneal mast cells were obtained by direct lavage of the rat peritoneal cavity and guinea pig intestine and hamster cheek pouch mast cells were obtained by dispersion with collagenase type IA. Histamine release was induced with concanavalin A (Con A), lectins from Canavalia brasiliensis, mannose-specific Cymbosema roseum, Maackia amurensis, Parkia platycephala, Triticum vulgaris (WGA), and demetallized Con A and C. brasiliensis, using 1-300 µg/ml lectin concentrations applied to Wistar rat peritoneal mast cells, peaking on 26.9, 21.0, 29.1, 24.9, 17.2, 10.7, 19.9, and 41.5%, respectively. This effect was inhibited in the absence of extracellular calcium. The lectins were also active on hamster cheek pouch mast cells (except demetallized Con A) and on Rowett nude rat (animal free of immunoglobulins) peritoneal mast cells (except for mannose-specific C. roseum, P. platycephala and WGA). No effect was observed in guinea pig intestine mast cells. Glucose-saturated Con A and C. brasiliensis also released histamine from Wistar rat peritoneal mast cells. These results suggest that histamine release induced by lectins is influenced by the heterogeneity of mast cells and depends on extracellular calcium. The results also suggest that this histamine release might occur by alternative mechanisms, because the usual mechanism of lectins is related to their binding properties to metals from which depend the binding to sugars, which would be their sites to bind to immunoglobulins. In the present study, we show that the histamine release by lectins was also induced by demetallized lectins and by sugar-saturated lectins (which would avoid their binding to other sugars). Additionally, the lectins also released histamine from Rowett nude mast cells that are free of immunoglobulins.

Cordia verbenacea and secretion of mast cells in different animal species

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Effect of follicle size on mRNA expression in cumulus cells and oocytes of Bos indicus: an approach to identify marker genes for developmental competence

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The 20S proteasome alpha(5) subunit of Arabidopsis thaliana carries an RNase activity and interacts in planta with the Lettuce mosaic potyvirus HcPro protein

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Chemotherapeutic agents in low noncytotoxic concentrations increase immunogenicity of human colon cancer cells

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Anti-clastogenic effect of beta-glucan extracted from barley towards chemically induced DNA damage in rodent cells

beta-Glucan (BG) was tested in vitro to determine its potential clastogenic and/or anti-clastogenic activity, and attempts were made to elucidate its possible mechanism of action by using combinations with an inhibitor of DNA polymerase. The study was carried out on cells deficient (CHO-k1) and cells proficient (HTC) in phases I and II enzymes, and the DNA damage was assessed by the chromosomal aberration assay. BG did not show a clastogenic effect, but was anti-clastogenic in both cell lines used, and at all concentrations tested (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/mL) in combination with damage inducing agents (methylmethane sulfonate in cell line CHO-k1, and methylmethane sulfonate or 2-aminoanthracene in cell line HTC). BG also showed a protective effect in the presence of a DNA polymerase beta inhibitor (cytosine arabinoside-3-phosphate, Ara-C), demonstrating that BG does not act through an anti-mutagenic mechanism of action involving DNA polymerase beta.

Protective effect of beta-glucan extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, against DNA damage and cytotoxicity in wild-type (k1) and repair-deficient (xrs5) CHO cells

A large number of functional foods, including those that contain P-glucan, have been shown to prevent the development of cancer and other chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to elucidate its mechanism of action, as well as to understand its effects as an antigenotoxic, anticlastogenic agent, and to determine its capacity to preserve cell viability. The investigation was carried out in the CHO-k1 and CHO-xrs5 cell lines. The cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay indicated that the different doses of beta-glucan examined (5, 10, 20 and 40 mu g/ml) did not show clastogenic effects. In the CHO-k1 cell line, a chemopreventive effect could be observed in all the protocols tested: pre-treatment (% reduction of 35.0-57.3), simultaneous treatment (simple - 5 reduction of 19.7-55.6 and with pre-incubation - of 42.7-56.4) and post-treatment (% reduction of 17.9-37.6). This finding indicates mechanisms of action involving desmutagenesis and bio-antimutagenesis, albeit the latter having a lesser role. However, in the repair-deficient CHO-xrs5 cells, beta-glucan did not show a protective effect with post-treatment (% reduction of 2.96), thus supporting the involvement of bioantimutagenesis. The comet assay in CHO-k1 cells demonstrated that beta-glucan has neither a genotoxic nor an antigenotoxic effect. Cell viability tests indicated that beta-glucan preserves cell viability in both cell lines, preventing apoptotic events. These findings suggest that beta-glucan, when present in foods, could provide them with nutraceutical characteristics and act as a dietary supplement, or that P-glucan could be used in new drug development. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrastructural changes in the ovary cells of engorged Rhipicephalus sanguineus female ticks treated with esters of ricinoleic acid from castor oil (Ricinus communis)

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Cytotoxic effects of permethrin on mouse liver and spleen cells

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Effects of fipronil (active ingredient of Frontline (R)) on salivary gland cells of Rhipicephalus sanguineus females (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae)

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Ultrastructural characterization of CD133(+) stem cells bound to superparamagnetic nanoparticles: possible biotechnological applications

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Ultra-structure and histochemistry of digestive cells of Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) fed with prey reared on bt-cotton

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Morphomettic changes on honeybee Apis mellifera L. workers fat body cells after juvenile hormone topic application at emergence

The effect of topical application of juvenile hormone (JH) over the lifetime of worker bees was evaluated in Apis mellifera, by measuring the area of the two cell types, trophocytes and oenocytes, found in the fat body. Topical application of 1 mu l of a 1 mu g/mu l solution of JH in acetone to the abdomens of newly emerged workers produced an increase in cell size, in both types of cell of 5-day-old treated workers in relation to the untreated control. The treatment was more effective on the oenocytes, since there were significant differences compared to the averages of the treatments and the interaction of the treatments with the age of the workers. The developmental pattern seemed to differ from the treated group. However, subsequent effects were probably dependent on different, natural variations in hormonal levels. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphological analysis of colon goblet cells and submucosa in type I diabetic rats submitted to physical training

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Cytotoxic effects of permethrin in oocytes of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) fully engorged females: I. Direct or indirect action of the acaricide in germ cells?

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