We characterized lectins from different gastrointestinal medicinal fruits proteic extracts (PE) such as pumpkim, orange, mango, avocado, plum, coconut, papaya, peach, pomegranate guava, mango. We found by hemaglutination test (HA) that all protein fruits PE recognized determinant antigens in blood types A, B, and O, but highly specificity to type A, particularly coconut, mango, guava and pomegranate, through the HA inhibition with sugar competition tests, most of them has a recognition to GlcNAC, Fuc, Man, GlcN, GalNAc and Xyl, particularly in group A. Band patterns in 10% SDS PAGE gels shown a common pattern bands around 14 to 28 kD and other bands about 30 to 60kD, also coconut, mango, guava and avocado showed bands that run as albumin, but the majority showed bands no so homogenous up to 100 kD.
The participation of PE on Escherichia coli O157H7 activities, such as inhibition of the E. coli hemaglutinacion (IEcHA), agglutination (EcAg), growth (EcG) and adhesion to cell HELA, was founded that IEcHA was enhanced in group B and O by mango squash, pomegrate, pumpkin, avocado, peach, guava and plum PE, and also are those that shown most EcAg activity, suggesting a recognition to the bacteria principally papaya.
The presence of the bacteria in cells HELA reduced it is growth in about 10 to 25% and induced anuclei cells 2 to 5%, only pumpkin PE increased it around 10% . Most PE at 300 µgr/mL in the presence of the bacteria, were toxic to cells HELA around 50%. At that concentration most PE shown a 30% reduction in EcG, however plum, mango squash, avocado and pumpkin increased it about 25%, and in the test of adhesion to cells HELA these favored bacteria growth with a slight increment of colonies around 7-12 compared to 6 formed in controls on the cells HELA. The results indicate that PE from medicinal fruits with lectin activity are participated in the activities of EHEC studied, where GlcNAC, Fuc, Man, GlcN, GalNAc and Xylose are involved, suggesting proteoglycan participation and Xyl lectins, too.
