Mycotin: a lectin involved in the adherence of Mycobacteria to macrophages

Pathogenic Mycobacteria colonize host macrophages. Attachment of these organisms to macrophages is the preliminary step prior to invasion of the macrophages by the bacteria. Western blot confirmed that walls of Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium tuberculosis contain molecules which are immunologically related to mycotin, a lectin found in Mycobacterium smegmatis. We have demonstrated that the adherence of Mycobacteria to macrophages is significantly inhibited by anti-mycotin antibody or the mycotin-specific sugar, mannan. These observations suggest that prevention of the interaction of mycotin-related molecules on the surfaces of Mycobacteria with mannose-specific receptors on macrophages, offers an important approach for blocking attachment of pathogenic Mycobacteria to macrophages, thereby preventing infection.