Chitin-Binding Mistletoe Lectin (MChbL) Exhibits Entomotoxic and Cytotoxic Properties. Transactions on Science and Technology Eka KHURTSIDZE, Nino KEBURIA, Mariam GAIDAMASHVILI Download pdf. Keywords: Viscum album; Mistletoe; Chitin-binding lectin; Insecticidal activity; Cytotoxicity. A b s t r a c t Apamea sordens Hufn. and Agrotis segetum Schiff. are serious herbivore Lepidoptera pests on various agricultural crops causing substantial crop losses throughout the world. They are responsible also for significant damage of stored seeds and post-harvest loss of agricultural production. Plant agglutinins (lectins) as natural plant defense agents, have been implicated as antibiosis factors against insects and are promising candidates for biological pesticides. The insecticidal activity of Viscum album chitin-binding lectin (MChbL) against Apamea sordens Hufn. and Agrotis segetum Schiff. larvae was investigated. MChbL exhibited proteinase inhibitory and chitinase activities and affected larval development and survival at different growth stages. The rate of adults successfully emerging from pupae fed on MChbL was from 5% to 33%, when incorporated into an artificial diet at a level of 0.01% (w/w). MChbL decreased larval total midgut protease activity by 60% at a concentration of 0.25 �g/�l. Toxic properties of chitin-binding mistletoe lectin (MChbL) against Lepidoptera pests and human peripheral blood lymphocytes have been investigated. High concentrations of MChbL exhibit cytotoxic properties. Lectin was no cytotoxic to human peripheral blood cells at the concentrations of 10 �g/ml and exhibited similar results as ConA at sub-mitogenic concentration. In short term feeding trials MChbL did not retarded animal mass growth and did not affected overall conditions of male or on female animal groups at the concentrations up to 0.1% (w/w). 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