Lectin from microalgae: Non-toxic to human cells and effective against Leishmania

Alexsandra Frazão de Andrade; Sabrina Swan Souza da Silva; Dayane Rodrigues da Silva; Millena Patricio do Nascimento Ferreira; Maria Gabriella Nunes de Melo; Marllyn Marques da Silva; Mariane Cajubá de Britto Lira-Nogueira; Daniela de Araújo Viana-Marques; Teresinha Gonçalves da Silva; Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto; Milena de Paiva-Cavalcanti; Raquel Pedrosa Bezerra

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138630

Lectin from microalgae: Non-toxic to human cells and effective against Leishmania

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Dec 13:288:138630. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138630. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE, Dom Manoel de Medeiros Avenue, 52171-900 Recife, PE, Brazil.
² Department of Microbiology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Fiocruz Pernambuco, Prof. Moraes Rego Avenue, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil.
³ Nanotechnology, Biotechnology and Cell Culture Laboratory, Vitória Academic Center, Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE, Alto do Reservatório Street, 55608-680 Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brazil.
⁴ Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco- UPE, R. Arnóbio Marques Street, 50100-130 Recife, PE, Brazil.
⁵ Departament of Antibiotics, Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE, Prof. Moraes Rego Avenue, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil.
⁶ Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE, Dom Manoel de Medeiros Avenue, 52171-900 Recife, PE, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39675602
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138630

Abstract

New leishmanicidal products are needed for the treatment to be effective, since current drugs are toxic to healthy human/animal cells and have low efficacy against the parasite. Bioactive compounds from microalgae, such as lectins, can be explored as new anti-Leishmania candidates. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-Leishmania action of the cell extract (CE) and lectin (CVU) from Chlorella vulgaris biomass. CVU purified from CE was stable within alkaline pH and temperature below 50 °C. CVU showed specificity to the carbohydrate D-Galactose, which is found in the membrane of Leishmania. CE (IC₅₀ = 161.4 μg/mL) and CVU (IC₅₀ = 66.32 μg/mL) exhibited effects against the promastigotes of L. braziliensis, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed alterations the shape and size in treated parasites. CE showed a higher selectivity index than CVU on L. braziliensis promastigotes. These results demonstrate the potential of C. vulgaris as a source of active molecules that can be investigated as therapeutic candidates.

Keywords: Biomolecules; Chlorella vulgaris; Leishmania; Microorganism photosynthetic; Protein.