Abstract：
Lectins are proteins or glycoproteins of non-immune origin with carbohydrate-binding properties. They are found both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The most abundant source of the lectins are plants. Many lectins have anticancer effects by directly exerting cytotoxic effects on malignant cells or indirectly activating the immune system. Lectins also have antiviral activities. These proteins can recognise glycoproteins on the surface of enveloped viruses and bind to them. This creates a physical barrier between them and the corresponding receptors on the surface of the host cell, which prevents the virus from entering the cell and can thus effectively inhibit the replication of the virus. In this review, we focus on the anticancer activities of selected lectins and the underlying mechanisms. We also discuss different types of lectins with antiviral activity. We have paid special attention to lectins with inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2. Finally, we outline the challenges of using lectins in therapy and suggest future research directions.
摘要：
凝集素是具有碳水化合物结合特性的非免疫来源的蛋白质或糖蛋白。它们是原核和真核生物。凝集素的最丰富来源是植物。许多凝集素通过直接对恶性细胞发挥细胞毒性作用或间接激活免疫系统而具有抗癌作用。凝集素也具有抗病毒活性。这些蛋白质可以识别包膜病毒表面的糖蛋白并与之结合。这在它们和宿主细胞表面的相应受体之间形成了物理屏障，阻止病毒进入细胞，从而可以有效抑制病毒的复制。在这次审查中,我们专注于选择的凝集素的抗癌活性和潜在的机制。我们还讨论了具有抗病毒活性的不同类型的凝集素。我们特别注意对SARS-CoV-2具有抑制活性的凝集素。最后,我们概述了在治疗中使用凝集素的挑战，并提出了未来的研究方向。
