AUTHOR=Palharini Julio G. , Richter Aline C. , Silva Mariana F. , Ferreira Flavia B. , Pirovani Carlos P. , Naves Karinne S. C. , Goulart Vivian A. , Mineo Tiago W. P. , Silva Marcelo J. B. , Santiago Fernanda M. 

TITLE=Eutirucallin: A Lectin with Antitumor and Antimicrobial Properties

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00136

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2017.00136

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Eutirucallin is a lectin isolated from the latex of <italic>Euphorbia tirucalli</italic>, a plant known for its medical properties. The present study explores various characteristics of Eutirucallin including stability, cytotoxicity against tumor cells, antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities. Eutirucallin was stable from 2 to 40 days at 4°C, maintained hemagglutinating activity within a restricted range, and showed optimal activity at pH 7.0–8.0. Eutirucallin presented antiproliferative activity for HeLa, PC3, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 tumor cells but was not cytotoxic for non-tumorigenic cells such as macrophages and fibroblasts. Eutirucallin inhibited the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma <italic>in vivo</italic> and it was also observed that Eutirucallin inhibited 62.5% of <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> growth. Also, Eutirucallin showed to be effective when tested directly against <italic>Toxoplasma gondii</italic> infection <italic>in vitro</italic>. Therefore, this study sheds perspectives for pharmacological applications of Eutirucallin.</p>