Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2497215 | Phytomedicine | 2010 | 5 Pages |
A dimeric 70-kDa chymotrypsin inhibitor with substantial N-terminal sequence homology to serine protease inhibitors was isolated from Acacia confusa seeds. The chymotrypsin inhibitor was purified using a protocol that entailed ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose, SP-Sepharose and fast protein liquid chromatography-gel filtration on Superdex 75. The chymotrypsin inhibitor was unadsorbed on both Q-Sepharose and SP-Sepharose. Its chymotrypsin inhibitory activity was stable from pH 3 to 10 and from 0 to 50 °C. It exerted antiproliferative activity toward breast cancer MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 10.7±4.2 μM. It inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with an IC50 of 8±1.5 μM. It was devoid of antifungal activity toward a variety of fungal species. The distinctive features of the chymotrypsin inhibitor included dimeric nature, a high molecular mass, lack of trypsin inhibitory activity, highly potent HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity, specific antitumor activity and relatively high pH-stability.