Effect of fetal calf serum on the cytotoxic activity of mistletoe (VISCUM ALBUM L.) lectins in cell culture

Journal/Book: Phytother. Res. 9, 336-339. 1995;

Abstract: Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) contains three cytotoxic lectins, ML I, MLII and ML III. The interaction between these lectins and the fetal calfserum (FCS) commonly added to cell culture media was studied on humanleukaemia Molt 4 cells. When these cells were grown in RPMI 1640 mediumsupplemented with 10% FCS, the lectins were about 40 times less toxicthan when the former were grown in serum-free Ultraculture medium. Anaddition of FCS to the serum-free Ultraculture medium produced adose-dependent inhibition of the cytotoxic activities of the lectins, byup to 50 fold. Moreover, FCS increased by 2 to 3 fold the protectiveaction of anti-ML I antibodies against the toxicity of the lectins. Thedata suggest that FCS contains glycoproteins or glycolipids whichinteract with the lectins.

Keyword(s): Medical:fetal-calf-serum

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