DR. D'ADAMO: LECSTER 7

The lectin database of Dr. Peter D'Adamo.
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Vicia faba
SPECIES IMAGE
SOURCE	Fava bean, broad bean
LECTINS	VFA, Favin
MOLECULAR IMAGE
CLASS	Legume lectin
NOMEN	LECp.Vic.Fab.xx.Xxxx
INDEX	Plant lectin / / / /
CHARACTERIZATION	The lectin behaves as a 'cold agglutinin' displaying stronger agglutination than the naturally occurring ABO agglutinin in the cold. For discussion of characteristics of Favin, see: J Biol Chem 1979 Jul 25;254(14):6803-10
BIOACTIVITY	Agglutinates human group A erythrocytes at a titer of 1:4; group B erythrocytes at a titer of 1:1; by crude lectin preparation (16mg/ml). See: Int J Cancer 1970;6:283 Dietary lectins can alter the proliferation of colonic cells. A normal healthy cell is said to be well differentiated, meaning that its characteristic features and structures are intact. Differentiation is regulated by adhesion molecules which, being glycosylated, are targets for lectin binding. Researchers from Hammersmith Hospital, London, assessed the effects of dietary lectins on the behavior of cancer cells in the colon. VFA (broad bean lectin) stimulated an undifferentiated colon cancer cell line to differentiate into gland like structures. The adhesion molecule epCAM is involved in this. See: Gut 1999 May;44(5):709-14
SOURCE TISSUE
SPECIFICITY	The purified lectin shows a high affinity for N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc); D-mannose
INHIBITORS	d-mannose
REFERENCES	Prep Biochem 1984;14(4):373-87