Abstract
Macrotyloma axillare is a legume adapted to the tropical climate and its main use is associated with green manuring, soil recovery, and food for the cattle. M. axillare contains molecules of biotechnological interest, such as Bowman–Birk type inhibitors (BBI) and lectins (anti-A1 seed lectin). BBI are protein molecules displaying double-head domains, capable of inhibiting trypsin and chymotrypsin activities. Such inhibitors are known to be active toward various enzymatic processes, making them useful for modulating key proteolytic pathways, such as those involved in inflammation and neoplastic transformations. Lectins are protein molecules used on carbohydrate prospection and characterization, given their strict specificities. In this chapter, we will describe strategies for the isolation of BBI and lectin from M. axillare and discuss a potential role for BBI when used as a diet supplement in a mice model of colorectal cancer induced by treatment with N-N′-dimethylhydrazine. Our results point to a protective activity of the BBI from M. axillare as judged by their inhibitory activities observed over lysosomal proteases and the proteasome.
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