Isolation of an immunosuppressive lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Cacahuate using stroma.

An immunosuppressive lectin was isolated from seed of Phaseolus vulgaris cv Cacahuate using physically entrapped stroma. The lectin was found to be a 94 kDa tetrameric protein. When 50 micrograms, of this lectin were administered intraperitoneally 2 days before the immunization with sheep red blood cells, humoral response against the immunogen was completely inhibited. Other properties of the protein are discussed.