Determination of mitogenic properties and lymphocyte target sites of Dolichos lablab lectin (DLA): comparative study with concanavalin A and galactose oxidase cell surface receptors.

A mannoside-directed lectin has been isolated and purified from the seeds of Dolichos lablab L. by affinity chromatography. We have established that this glycoprotein, which displays high erythroagglutinating activity without blood group specificity, highly activates murine T lymphocytes, and we have described for the first time its mitogenic properties. Although its main properties are close to those of concanavalin A (Con A), the well-known mannoside-directed mitogen devoid of sugar moiety, several differences were found in some of the early events triggered by the two lectins during lymphocyte mitogenic stimulation: higher level of interleukin-2 (IL-2) synthesis, optimal dose for IL-2 synthesis at suboptimal mitogenic concentration, lack of ecto-5' nucleotidase inhibition, and lack of mitogenic inhibition at high lectin concentration. Because the two lectins did not act on the cell surface in exactly the same way, we have compared their receptors involved in mitogenesis on the plasma membrane of murine lymphocytes. We had previously established that the polyclonal activation of these cells probably occurred through high-molecular-weight receptors (200-230 kDa). Since the mitogenic stimulation of lymphocyte by galactose oxidase (GO), like that of Con A, was inhibited by DLA, we analyzed the cell surface receptors that were common to these three polyclonal mitogens. After labeling the neuraminidase/GO-treated cell surface glycoproteins with NaB3H4, we immunoprecipitated the Con A and DLA receptors which are the target of GO mitogenic action. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the precipitates demonstrated that there exist on the lymphocyte cell surface receptors common to the polyclonal mitogens DLA, Con A, and GO. Because Con A and DLA sterically inhibit GO mitogenic stimulation, the common glycoproteins which represent the necessary sites of oxidative mitogenic action are probably those which are involved in DLA and Con A-triggered mitogenesis, despite the different properties of the two lectins. These differences could be explained by the lower molecular weight receptors of the two lectins which are not identical.