Sialic acid-binding lectin (leczyme) induces apoptosis to malignant mesothelioma and exerts synergistic antitumor effects with TRAIL.

Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. An effective drug for treatment of malignant mesothelioma is greatly needed. Sialic acid-binding lectin (SBL) isolated from oocytes of Rana catesbeiana is a multifunctional protein which has lectin activity, ribonuclease activity and antitumor activity, so it could be developed as a new type of anticancer drug. The validity of SBL for treatment of malignant mesothelioma was assessed using three malignant mesotheliomas and a non-malignant mesothlial cell line. Effectiveness of combinatorial treatment of SBL and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) was also elucidated and characterized. SBL induced tumor-selective cytotoxicity that was attributed to induction of apoptosis. Combinatorial treatment of SBL and TRAIL showed synergistic apoptosis-inducing effect. Additional experiments revealed that Bid was the mediating molecule for the synergistic effect in SBL and TRAIL. These results suggested that SBL could be a promising candidate for the therapeutics for malignant mesothelioma. Furthermore, the combinatorial treatment of SBL and TRAIL could be an effective regimen against malignant mesothelioma.