Lectins are proteins that recognize and interact non-covalently with glycans or carbohydrate moieties without altering their structures. ConBr is a glucose/mannose-binding lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis with several biological applications, including antidepressant and neuroprotective effects. This study investigated the toxicity of ConBr in Artemia salina and its neuroprotective activity against sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced oxidative stress in Nauphoeta cinerea . Different concentrations of ConBr (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL) and the combination ConBr + SNP (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL + 1 mM) were used in the assays. In A. salina , all ConBr concentrations did not cause acute toxicity in nauplii but significantly reduced cyst hatching rates, suggesting a possible interaction with glycoprotein structures of the eggshell. In N. cinerea , ConBr reduced lipid peroxidation, nitrite, and free iron levels, mitigating SNP-induced effects. Moreover, at 50 μg/mL, the lectin showed significant protective effects against SNP (1 mM) over 24 and 48 h. Therefore, ConBr was not toxic to N. cinerea at concentrations below 50 μg/mL. These results demonstrate that ConBr, in addition to being non-toxic at concentrations below 50 μg/mL, exhibits neuroprotective activity in an invertebrate model, reinforcing its potential in the study of modulators of oxidative stress.
Santos et al. (Fri,) studied this question.