Lentil lectin inhibits cells producing graft-versus-host reaction but does not suppress hematopoietic stem cells in mice.

Treatment of mouse donors or recipients of allogeneic spleen cells with repeated injections of lentil lectin markedly suppressed regional and systemic graft-versus-host reactions. The lectin acted selectively on lymphoid cells; hematopoietic stem cells were largely left unaffected. Repeated administration of the lectin decreased the number of lymphocytes and red blood cells and the amount of hemoglobin; other white blood cells increased in number.