EFFECT OF LECTINS ON MOUSE PERITONEAL MACROPHAGE PHAGOCYTIC-ACTIVITY

We studied the in vitro ability of lectin-treated murine peritoneal ma crophages to attach and phagocytize particulate antigens. Glucose and mannose specific lectins such as Con-A and lentil lectin, as well as c omplex lactosamine residues specific lectins, such as Phaseolus vulgar is var. cacaluate and Phaseolus coccineus var. alubia, increased the m acrophage phagocytic activity towards heterologous erythrocytes, where as peanut agglutinin, a galactose-specific lectin, diminished the macr ophage phagocytic activity. These results suggest that a galactos-N-ac etyl-D galactosamine-containing structure could participate as negativ e modulator of the phagocytic activity.