Abstract
Sulfated fucans, the complex polysaccharides, exhibit various biological activities. Herein, we purified two fucans from the sea cucumbers Holothuria edulis and Ludwigothurea grisea. Their structures were verified by means of HPGPC, FT-IR, GC–MS and NMR. As a result, a novel structural motif for this type of polymers is reported. The fucans have a unique structure composed of a central core of regular (1→2) and (1→3)-linked tetrasaccharide repeating units. Approximately 50% of the units from L. grisea (100% for H. edulis fucan) contain sides of oligosaccharides formed by nonsulfated fucose units linked to the O-4 position of the central core. Anticoagulant activity assays indicate that the sea cucumber fucans strongly inhibit human blood clotting through the intrinsic pathways of the coagulation cascade. Moreover, the mechanism of anticoagulant action of the fucans is selective inhibition of thrombin activity by heparin cofactor II. The distinctive tetrasaccharide repeating units contribute to the anticoagulant action. Additionally, unlike the fucans from marine alga, although the sea cucumber fucans have great molecular weights and affluent sulfates, they do not induce platelet aggregation. Overall, our results may be helpful in understanding the structure-function relationships of the well-defined polysaccharides from invertebrate as new types of safer anticoagulants.
Highlights
Thromboembolic diseases continue to be the leading cause of death throughout the world [1]
Sulfated fucans were extracted from the body wall of two species of sea cucumbers H. edulis and
100-fold higher than anti-thrombin activity in the presence of AT. These results suggested that the sulfated polysaccharides selectively inhibit thrombin activity in the presence of heparin cofactor II
Summary
Thromboembolic diseases continue to be the leading cause of death throughout the world [1]. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) have been cornerstones of antithrombotic treatment and prophylaxis for the last 70 years, which are the only sulfated polysaccharides currently used as anticoagulant drugs These compounds have several side effects such as hemorrhagic effects, development of thrombocytopenia, ineffectiveness in congenital or acquired antithrombin deficiencies, incapacity to inhibit thrombin bound to fibrin, and so on [1,2,3]. A study on the structure of the sulfated fucan from sea cucumber, containing regular 1→3-linked units, was reported [16,17]. Structural characterization and pharmacological activities of two new sulfated fucans in detail These two polysaccharides have a similar unique structure composed of a central core of regular α(1→3)- and α(1→2)-linked tetrasaccharide repeating units. Of particular significance was the finding that the type of sulfated fucan exhibits selectively antithrombin activity by heparin cofactor II and shows potent anticoagulant activity without inducing platelet aggregation
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