Background: Studies on the diversity of carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) are important in glycobiology. Results: A lectin having a novel primary structure was isolated from a mussel and found to have a globotriose-dependent cytotoxicity on Burkitt lymphoma cells. Conclusion: A new primary structure quite distinct from known lectin is described. Significance: Discovery of similar lectin structures from vertebrates will lead to progress in medical sciences.

MytiLec; a novel lectin isolated from the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis); shows strong binding affinity to globotriose (Gb3: Galα1-4Galβ1-4Glc). MytiLec revealed β-trefoil folding as also found in the ricin B-subunit type (R-type) lectin family, although the amino acid sequences were quite different. Classification of R-type lectin family members therefore needs to be based on conformation as well as on primary structure. MytiLec specifically killed Burkitt's lymphoma Ramos cells, which express Gb3. Fluorescein-labeling assay revealed that MytiLec was incorporated inside the cells. MytiLec treatment of Ramos cells resulted in activation of both classical MAPK/ extracellular signal-regulated kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK-ERK) and stress-activated (p38 kinase and JNK) Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways. In the cells, MytiLec treatment triggered expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (a ligand of death receptor-dependent apoptosis) and activation of mitochondria-controlling caspase-9 (initiator caspase) and caspase-3 (activator caspase). Experiments using the specific MEK inhibitor U0126 showed that MytiLec-induced phosphorylation of the MEK-ERK pathway up-regulated expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, leading to cell cycle arrest and TNF-α production. Activation of caspase-3 by MytiLec appeared to be regulated by multiple different pathways. Our findings, taken together, indicate that the novel R-type lectin MytiLec initiates programmed cell death of Burkitt’s lymphoma cells through multiple pathways (MAPK cascade, death receptor signaling; caspase activation) based on interaction of the lectin with Gb3-containing glycosphingolipid-enriched microdomains on the cell surface.

A regioselective acylation series of methyl α-D-glucopyranoside (1), methyl 3-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-mannopyranoside (1A), and methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2-O-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-α-D-mannopyranoside (1B) has been carried out by the direct acylation method and afforded the 2,6-di-O-glucopyranoside and 2 or 3-O-mannopyranoside derivatives in an excellent yield. In order to obtain newer products, the 2,6-di-O-glucopyranoside derivative was further transformed to a series of 3,4-di-O-acyl derivatives containing a wide variety of functionalities in a single molecular framework. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were elucidated on the basis of IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 13C-DEPT spectral data, and elemental analysis. These synthesized derivatives were screened for in vitro antimicrobial activities against ten human pathogenic and five phytopathogenic microorganisms. A number of test compounds showed remarkable antimicrobial activity comparable to, and in some cases even higher than, the standard antibiotics employed. It was observed that methyl 3,4-di-O-(3-chlorobenzoyl)-2,6-di-O-hexanoyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (8) exhibited a varied range of MIC from 12.5 μg/disc to 25 μg/disc by the disk diffusion method and 1000 μg/mL to 1250 μg/mL by the broth macrodilution method.