ACTIONS OF LECTINS FROM THE MUSHROOM TRICHOLOMA-MONGOLICUM ON MACROPHAGES, SPLENOCYTES AND LIFE-SPAN IN SARCOMA-BEARING MICE

Two lectins isolated from the mushroom Tricholoma mongolicum stimulate d the production of nitrite ions by macrophages in normal and tumor-be aring mice. Both lectins exhibited negligible mitogenic activity towar d T-cells or splenocytes from normal mice in vitro when compared with Con A. Similarly, T-cells from sarcoma-bearing mice treated with the l ectins did not exhibit a mitogenic response different from that of the control. However, T-cells from normal lectin-treated mice demonstrate d a reduced mitogenic response when compared with the control. In mice the growth of sarcoma 180 cells in the peritoneal cavity was inhibite d and the life-span was prolonged by the two lectins.