Lectins as Promising Therapeutics for the Prevention and Treatment of HIV and Other Potential Coinfections

Mazalovska, Milena; Kouokam, J. Calvin

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes the disease known as toxoplasmosis. According to the CDC, more than 30 million individuals in the USA are T. gondii carriers [126] . Even though Toxoplasma gondii infection is asymptomatic in most people, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are at high risk of severe disease [127, 128] . Two lectins isolated from plants, including ScLL and ArtinM, have been shown to be beneficial in controlling T. gondii infection in mice [129] . The latter lectins induce the production of cytokines necessary to control T. gondii infection without any cytotoxicity. Additionally, they stimulate nitric oxide production by macrophages required for parasite killing. Eutirucallin, a plant lectin with broad antimicrobial properties, also showed antiparasitic activity in vitro against T. gondii [100] .