Mitogenic effect of Parkia speciosa seed lectin on human lymphocytes

Mitogenic activity of a lectin, purified from Parkia speciosa seeds, on the isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes taken from normal blood donors and patients with esophageal carcinoma was examined using [3H]thymidine incorporation. The lectin increases the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA of human lymphocytes. The activity of the lectin increased as its concentration was increased and then declined once the concentration passed an optimum point. The stimulant effect was also expressed using a proliferation index (PI): the ratio of [3H]thymidine incorporated into lymphocytes in the presence and absence of the lectin. The mitogenic activity of the lectin is comparable to those of the known T-cell mitogens, such as concanavalin A, phytohaemagglutinin, and pokeweed mitogen. Only slightly less responsiveness was observed in the case of lymphocytes from esophageal cancer compared to lymphocytes from normal donors.