Action of viscumin, a toxic lectin from mistletoe, on cells in culture.

A toxin from mistletoe, viscumin, inhibited the incorporation of leucine in cells more rapidly than the incorporation of uridine and thymidine, indicating that the toxins act by inhibiting cellular protein synthesis. The presence of galactose, lactose, and melibiose in the medium protected cells against viscumin. The sensitivity to viscumin of different cell lines differed considerably. The cytotoxic properties of viscumin were compared to those of the related toxins abrin, ricin, and modeccin. The profile of the sensitivity of a panel of cell lines to viscumin was dissimilar from those obtained with abrin and modeccin. Cell lines selected for resistance to modeccin and ricin were fully sensitive to viscumin. Ca2+ was required for viscumin to express its toxic effect. In contrast, the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 protected the cells against viscumin. Whereas the sensitivity of cells to viscumin did not vary much between pH 7 and 9, the cells were much less sensitive at pH 6. Also, cells treated with the two metabolic inhibitors, 2-deoxyglucose and NaN3, were insensitive to the toxins. Viscumin taken up by cells in the absence of Ca2+ or at pH 6 was able to intoxicate the cells when Ca2+ was added or when the pH was adjusted to neutrality. In contrast, cells exposed to viscumin in the presence of 2-deoxyglucose and NaN3, which inhibit endocytosis, were not intoxicated when the cells were treated with antiviscumin and then transferred to normal medium. The results indicate that endocytosis is involved in the entry of viscumin.