Mitogenic properties of structurally related Lathyrus lectins.

The mitogenic properties of ten phylogenetically related Lathyrus lectins have been studied. Despite a close structural resemblance and similar carbohydrate specificities, the lectins exhibited significant differences in their ability to induce cell proliferation of human lymphocytes. The differences in optimal dose were in the range 10-30 times. L. ochrus (whole lectin) also had an ability to induce cellular growth 3-10 times better than that of the isolated isolectins, L. ochrus I and II, illustrating the complexity behind the structure-function relation of lectin mitogens.