Plant-Derived Lectins as Potential Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostic Tools

Table 1

Representative plant lectins that induce cell death by modulating apoptotic or autophagic signaling pathways.

Lectin	Sugar(s) bound	Cancer type(s) and/or cancer cell line(s)	Mechanism(s) of cell growth inhibition/target molecule(s) or pathway(s)	References
Mistletoe lectin I (ML-I)	Galactose	Leukemic T and M cells	Apoptosis/activation of caspase-8/FLICE, caspase-9, and caspase-3	[81]
		CT26 cells	Apoptosis/ROS generation and activation of SEK/JNK pathway	[82]
		Glioma (in mice)	Apoptosis/caspase-dependent pathway, activation of NK cells	[83]
Korean mistletoe (KMLC)	Galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine	SK-Hep-1 cells/Hep3B cells	Apoptosis via p21- and p53-independent pathways/activation of Bax and caspase-3, inhibition of Bcl-2	[88]
		Hep3B	Apoptosis/ROS generation and activation of SEK/JNK pathway	[89]
		A253 cells	Apoptosis/inhibition of telomerase activity, decreased phosphorylation of Akt, and activation of caspase-3	[90]
Concanavalin A (Con A)	Mannose/glucose	A375 cells	Apoptosis/caspase-dependent manner	[91]
		HeLa cells	Autophagy/suppressing Pl3K/Akt/mTOR and upregulating MEK/ERK	[92]
		U87 cells	Autophagy/upregulation of BNIP3	[93]
		Hepatoma (in SCID mice)	Antitumor effect	[94]
Dioclea violacea (DVL)	Mannose/glucose	Rat C6 glioma cells	Apoptosis/caspase-3 activation	[95]
		U78 cells	Autophagy/inhibition of Akt, ERK1/2, and TORC1	[96]
Dioclea lasiocarpa lectin (DLL)	Mannose/glucose	A549, MCF-7, PC3, A2780, glioma cell lines	Induction of autophagy/activation of caspase-3	[97]
Dioclea lasiophylla lectin (DlyL)	Mannose	Rat C6 glioma cells	Induction of autophagy/activation of caspase-3	[98]
Bauhinia forficata (BFL)	N-Acetylgalactosamine	MVF7 cells	Apoptosis/inhibition of caspase-9	[99]
Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL)	Mannose/sialic acid	A375 cells	Apoptosis/caspase-activation, ROS accumulation, and activation of p53 and p38	[100]
		L929 cells	Apoptosis and autophagy/through Ras-Raf and Pl3K-Akt signaling pathways	[101]
		A549 cells	Apoptosis and autophagy/ROS-mediated MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways	[102]
		MCF-7 cells	Apoptosis/caspase-dependent pathways	[103]
Polygonatum odoratum lectin (POL)	Mannose	A375 cells	Apoptosis/caspase-dependent	[104]
		L929 cells	Apoptosis/caspase dependent	[103]
		A549 cells	Apoptosis and autophagy/inhibition of Akt-NF-κB or Akt-mTOR pathway	[105]
Remusatia vivipara lectin (RVL)	Mannose	MDA-MB-231, MCF-7	Induction of apoptosis	[106]