Purified Banana lectin (BanLec) isolated from the ripen pulp of Musa Paradisiaca induces apoptosis in cancer cell lines: in vitro study

The aim of the study was to examine the anticancer activities of banana lectin (BanLec) from the ripen pulp of Musa paradisiaca. In this investigation, we have analyzed the cytotoxicity of BanLec against Vero, HepG2 and THP-1 cell lines. Among these, BanLec exhibited a potent cytotoxicity against THP-1cells, with an IC 50 value of 244.38 µg/mL followed by HepG2 with an IC 50 of 504.83 µg/mL and no cytotoxic activity towards Vero cells. Moreover, in this study we have evaluated the cell death mechanism induced by BanLec on THP-1cells. These cells were treated with 244.38 µg/mL concentration of BanLec to induce cell death at 24 h incubation. The apoptotic induction was carried out by Annexin V, DAPI staining, TUNEL assay and gene expression studies by qRT-PCR. BanLec induced apoptosis with morphological changes such as cell membrane blebbing, cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, cell budding and nuclei broken into fragments. The caspase-3 gene expression was upregulated indicating the induction of apoptosis on treatment with BanLec. Using flow cytometry technique, the number of apoptotic cells in G0/G1 phase was evaluated. There was an accumulation and increase in the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase stating the apoptosis induction against THP-1 cells. On conclusion BanLec showed an apoptosis induction in THP-1 cells in a caspase dependent manner. These collectively results evidently showed that the BanLec exerts cytotoxicity and apoptosis against THP-1 cells. It seems to be one of the potent anticancer compound having a possible therapeutic potential against the human leukemia derived diseases. Graphical abstract