近日，Gary Goldberg博士帶領(lǐng)的國(guó)際科學(xué)家小組發(fā)現(xiàn)，來源于植物種子的一種蛋白質(zhì)可阻止黑色素瘤的蔓延,，黑色素瘤是一種致命皮膚癌。據(jù)國(guó)家癌癥研究所估計(jì)，今年在美國(guó),，黑色素瘤將導(dǎo)致超過9000人死亡。
此前發(fā)表的研究中,，Goldberg博士的研究小組探究了原產(chǎn)于亞洲部分地區(qū)的豆科植物樹的種子中提取的一種蛋白質(zhì),。在中國(guó)，此樹的藥用價(jià)值可以追溯到400多年的古文件,。Goldberg博士和他的同事發(fā)現(xiàn)植物種子中的一個(gè)特定成分可與多種類型的癌細(xì)胞表達(dá)的受體平足蛋白相作用,。
平足蛋白受體促進(jìn)腫瘤的侵襲和轉(zhuǎn)移到其他部位的身體，這是導(dǎo)致絕大多數(shù)的癌癥患者死亡的主要原因,。平足蛋白使腫瘤細(xì)胞打破了他們的微環(huán)境,，侵入新的組織和轉(zhuǎn)移。我們的實(shí)驗(yàn)室研究表明朝鮮槐成分不僅顯著降低細(xì)胞遷移,，也能抑制癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng),。
相關(guān)研究論文發(fā)表在PLoS ONE雜志上。雖然這一研究集中在黑色素瘤上,，但朝鮮槐成分也可能是有助于治療和預(yù)防多種表達(dá)平足蛋白的癌癥,。Goldberg博士的研究小組與美國(guó)國(guó)立衛(wèi)生研究院國(guó)家癌癥研究所合作發(fā)現(xiàn)朝鮮槐成分可以有效地抑制肺癌、乳腺癌,、前列腺癌,、結(jié)腸癌、腦腫瘤細(xì)胞生長(zhǎng),。
許多抗癌藥物會(huì)引起明顯的副作用,，因?yàn)樗麄儾环智嗉t皂白，會(huì)殺死所有分裂的細(xì)胞,，而不是精確瞄準(zhǔn)癌細(xì)胞,。通常情況下，這些藥物需要靜脈注射治療特定癌癥包括惡性黑色素瘤,。相比之下,，Goldberg博士的研究結(jié)果表明可內(nèi)服朝鮮槐成分來有效地對(duì)抗癌癥。研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)朝鮮槐成分沒有造成明顯的副作用,，劑量依賴性抑制癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng)和遷移,。（生物谷：Bioon.com）
編譯自：Bioactive protein from ancient medicinal plant may help combat melanoma and other cancers
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041845
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Plant Lectin Can Target Receptors Containing Sialic Acid, Exemplified by Podoplanin, to Inhibit Transformed Cell Growth and Migration
Jhon Alberto Ochoa-Alvarez1,2#, Harini Krishnan1,2#, Yongquan Shen2, Nimish K. Acharya1,6,etl al
Cancer is a leading cause of death of men and women worldwide. Tumor cell motility contributes to metastatic invasion that causes the vast majority of cancer deaths. Extracellular receptors modified by α2,3-sialic acids that promote this motility can serve as ideal chemotherapeutic targets. For example, the extracellular domain of the mucin receptor podoplanin (PDPN) is highly O-glycosylated with α2,3-sialic acid linked to galactose. PDPN is activated by endogenous ligands to induce tumor cell motility and metastasis. Dietary lectins that target proteins containing α2,3-sialic acid inhibit tumor cell growth. However, anti-cancer lectins that have been examined thus far target receptors that have not been identified. We report here that a lectin from the seeds of Maackia amurensis (MASL) with affinity for O-linked carbohydrate chains containing sialic acid targets PDPN to inhibit transformed cell growth and motility at nanomolar concentrations. Interestingly, the biological activity of this lectin survives gastrointestinal proteolysis and enters the cardiovascular system to inhibit melanoma cell growth, migration, and tumorigenesis. These studies demonstrate how lectins may be used to help develop dietary agents that target specific receptors to combat malignant cell growth.
