Sugar-stabilised nanomaterials have received a lot of attention in cancer therapy in recent years due to their pronounced application as specific targeting agents and maximizing their therapeutic potential while bypassing off-target effects. Lectins, the carbohydrate-binding proteins, are capable of binding to receptors present on the target cell/tissue and interact with transformed glycans better than normal cells. Besides some of the lectins exhibit anticancer activity. Conjugating sugar-stabilised NPs with lectins there for is expected to multiply the potential for the early diagnosis of cancer cells and the specific release of drugs into the tumor site. Because of the prospective applications of lectin-sugar-stabilised nanoparticle conjugates, it is important to understand their molecular interaction and physicochemical properties. Momordica charantia Seed Lectin (MCL) is a type II RIP and has been known as an anti-tumor agent. Investigation of the interaction between sugar-stabilised silver nanoparticles and MCL has been performed by fluorescence spectroscopy to explore the possibility of creating an effective biocompatible drug delivery system against cancer cells. In this regard interaction between lectin and NPs should be well-preserved, while recognizing the specific cell surface sugar. Therefore experiments were carried out in the presence and absence of specific sugar galactose. Protein intrinsic fluorescence emission is quenched at ~ 20% at saturation during the interaction without any significant shift in fluorescence emission maximum. Binding experiments reveal a good affinity. Tetrameric MCL binds to a single nanoparticle. Stern-Volmer analysis of the quenching data suggests that the interaction is via static quenching leading to complex formation. Hemagglutination experiments together with interaction studies in the presence of specific sugar show that the sugar-binding site of the lectin is distinct from the nanoparticle-binding site and cell recognition is very much intact even after binding to AgNPs. Our results propose the possibility of developing MCL-silver nanoparticle conjugate with high stability and multiple properties in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

近年来，糖稳定的纳米材料在癌症治疗中受到了广泛关注，因为它们作为特异性靶向剂的显着应用以及在绕过脱靶效应的同时最大化其治疗潜力。凝集素是碳水化合物结合蛋白，能够与存在于靶细胞/组织上的受体结合，并比正常细胞更好地与转化的聚糖相互作用。此外，一些凝集素还具有抗癌活性。将糖稳定的 NPs 与凝集素结合，有望增加癌细胞早期诊断和药物特异性释放到肿瘤部位的潜力。由于凝集素-糖-稳定的纳米粒子偶联物的前瞻性应用，了解它们的分子相互作用和理化性质非常重要。苦瓜种子凝集素 (MCL) 是一种 II 型 RIP，被称为抗肿瘤剂。已通过荧光光谱法对糖稳定的银纳米粒子与 MCL 之间的相互作用进行了研究，以探索创建有效的生物相容性药物递送系统以对抗癌细胞的可能性。在这方面，凝集素和 NPs 之间的相互作用应该得到很好的保存，同时识别特定的细胞表面糖。因此，实验是在存在和不存在特定糖半乳糖的情况下进行的。在相互作用过程中，蛋白质固有荧光发射在 ~ 20% 的饱和度下被淬灭，荧光发射最大值没有任何显着变化。结合实验揭示了良好的亲和力。四聚体 MCL 与单个纳米粒子结合。淬火数据的 Stern-Volmer 分析表明相互作用是通过静态淬火导致复杂的形成。血凝实验与特定糖存在下的相互作用研究表明，凝集素的糖结合位点与纳米颗粒结合位点不同，即使在与 AgNPs 结合后，细胞识别也非常完整。我们的研究结果提出了开发在癌症诊断和治疗中具有高稳定性和多种特性的 MCL-银纳米粒子共轭物的可能性。血凝实验与特定糖存在下的相互作用研究表明，凝集素的糖结合位点与纳米颗粒结合位点不同，即使在与 AgNPs 结合后，细胞识别也非常完整。我们的研究结果提出了开发在癌症诊断和治疗中具有高稳定性和多种特性的 MCL-银纳米粒子共轭物的可能性。血凝实验与特定糖存在下的相互作用研究表明，凝集素的糖结合位点与纳米颗粒结合位点不同，即使在与 AgNPs 结合后，细胞识别也非常完整。我们的研究结果提出了开发在癌症诊断和治疗中具有高稳定性和多种特性的 MCL-银纳米粒子共轭物的可能性。