Nanak Dev researchers identify 5 new lectins useful for killing cancer cells

A research team of the Guru Nanak Dev University Protein Laboratory has identified nine new lectins (proteins) out of which five have turned out to be useful for killing cancer cells.

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Amritsar, June 16 : A research team of the Guru Nanak Dev University Protein Laboratory has identified nine new lectins (proteins) out of which five have turned out to be useful for killing cancer cells.

The research work was carried out in the last four years by Vikram Dhuna, a senior research fellow of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of the University.

Vikram Dhuna is presently working in the Protein Laboratory of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry jointly headed by a senior scientist, Professor Sukhdev Singh and Professor Jatinder Singh.

"Lectins are proteins which specifically bind to sugars. Lectins being specific for sugars could serve as makers and thus diagnostic tools for cancer patients. Various types of cancers are known to be accompanied by changes in cell surface sugars," Sukhdev said.

The team is exploring indigenous plant lectins having anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-insect and anti-fungal potential for applications in biomedical research.

Professor Sukhdev also said that recently some of the research findings related to anti-cancer and anti-viral potential of some indigenous lectins were presented in 107th General Meeting of American Society for Microbiology held last month at Toronto (Canada) by him.

Vikram Dhuna will present a joint research paper on Anti-Cancer Lectins (proteins) from Indian plants at the "20th Meeting of the European Society for Animal Cell Technology (ESACT-2007)" being held at Dresden (Germany) from June 17-21.

ANI