LENS CULINARIS, PHASEOLUS VULGARIS AND VICIA FABA LECTINS SPECIFICALLY TRIGGER IL-8 PRODUCTION BY THE HUMAN COLON CARCINOMA CELL LINE CACO-2

Cultured Caco-2 cells were stimulated with Lens culinaris, Phaseolus vulgarisandVicia fabalectins. The production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 was measured by ELISA and RT-PCR. IL-8 production appeared to be specifically triggered upon stimulation with all three lectins used, since none of the other cytokines tested were produced. The IL-8 secreted may induce the extravasation of activated neutrophils and generate tissue damage. A similar mechanism may be implicated in the lesions observed after infection by some enteric pathogens, with lectin-like domains on their membrane. Finally, this model may be suitable one to study the regulation of IL-8 production.