Pingyangmycin and Bleomycin Share the Same Cytotoxicity Pathway.

Pingyangmycin is an anticancer drug known as bleomycin A5 (A5), discovered in the Pingyang County of Zhejiang Province of China. Bleomycin (BLM) is a mixture of mainly two compounds (A2 and B2), which is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. Both BLM and A5 are hydrophilic molecules that depend on transporters or endocytosis receptors to get inside of cells. Once inside, the anticancer activities rely on their abilities to produce DNA breaks, thus leading to cell death. Interestingly, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of BLMs in different cancer cell lines varies from nM to µM ranges. Different cellular uptake, DNA repair rate, and/or increased drug detoxification might be some of the reasons; however, the molecules and signaling pathways responsible for these processes are largely unknown. In the current study, we purified the A2 and B2 from the BLM and tested the cytotoxicities and the molecular mechanisms of each individual compound or in combination with six different cell lines, including a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line defective in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Our data suggested that glycosaminoglycans might be involved in the cellular uptake of BLMs. Moreover, both BLM and A5 shared similar signaling pathways and are involved in cell cycle and apoptosis in different cancer cell lines.

Monosaccharide compositions of sulfated chitosans obtained by analysis of nitrous acid degraded and pyrazolone-labeled products.

Chemically sulfated chitosans are important biomaterials. However, a reliable analytical method for quality control over such compounds is still lacking. In this study, we prepared four different kinds of selectively sulfated chitosans and developed a novel method to analyze their monosaccharide compositions by HPLC. In this method, nitrous acid was used to generate 2, 5-hydro mannose (M), 3-O-sulfated M (M3), 6-O-sulfated M (M6), and 3, 6-O-disulfated M (M9) from the sulfated chitosans. PMP, that is 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone with a UV absorbance at 245 nm, was used to label all the Ms quantitatively. The monosaccharide compositions for each sulfated chitosan were obtained by C18 HPLC separation and online UV detection of all PMP-labeled Ms. The identities of all Ms were confirmed by MS analysis with the help of standard Ms generated from a heparin pentasaccharide and chitosan. The overall results indicated that the newly developed method had advantages over (13)C NMR in defining the monosaccharide compositions of sulfated chitosans and was useful for quality control purpose.

Efficacy of Heparinoid PSS in Treating Cardiovascular Diseases and Beyond-A Review of 27 Years Clinical Experiences in China.

Propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate (PSS) is the world's first oral heparinoid approved by Chinese Food and Drug Administration in 1987. Propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate is produced by modifying partially hydrolyzed alginate, one of the most abundant marine polysaccharides isolated from brown algae, by epoxypropane esterification and by chemical sulfation. It is used for treating and preventing cardiovascular-related diseases. The low cost (US$1.29/100 tablets, ∼4 tablets/day), remarkable clinical effects, and convenient oral administration make PSS an ideal long-term prevention drug. Propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate is available in most drug stores in China, and millions of patients take PSS routinely during the past 27 years. The 22 784 reported clinical cases as well as the structure, preparation, clinical efficacy, adverse reactions, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and future perspectives of PSS based on the results of peer-reviewed publications will be discussed. This review should bring the knowledge of PSS gained in China to the world to stimulate in depth academic and clinical studies of PSS.

Determination of the degree of acetylation and the distribution of acetyl groups in chitosan by HPLC analysis of nitrous acid degraded and PMP labeled products.

Chitin is one of the most abundant polysaccharides on earth. It consists of repeating ß-1,4 linked N-acetylated glucosamine (A) units. Chitosan is an N-deacetylated product of chitin. Chitosan and its derivatives have broad medical applications as drugs, nutraceuticals, or drug delivery agents. However, a reliable analytical method for quality control of medically used chitosans is still lacking. In current study, nitrous acid was used to cleave all glucosamine residues in chitosan into 2,5-anhydromannose (M) or M at the reducing end of di-, tri-, and oligosaccharides. PMP, i.e. 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, was used to label all the Ms. Online UV detection allowed quantification of all M-containing UV peaks whereas online MS analysis directly identified 11 different kinds of mono-, di-, tri-, and oligosaccharides that correlated each oligosaccharide with specific UV peak after HPLC separation. The DA (degree of acetylation) for chitosans was calculated based on the A/(A+M) value derived from the UV data. This newly developed method had several advantages for quality control of chitosan: 1. the experimental procedures were extensively optimized; 2. the reliability of the method was confirmed by online LC-MS analysis; 3. the DA value was obtainable based on the UV data after HPLC analysis, which was comparableto that of (1)H NMR and conductometric titration analyses; 4. finally and most importantly, this method could be used to obtain the DA as well as chemical acetylation/deacetylation mechanisms for chitosan by any laboratory equipped with a HPLC and an online UV detector.

Salinity-induced anti-angiogenesis activities and structural changes of the polysaccharides from cultured Cordyceps Militaris.

Cordyceps is a rare and exotic mushroom that grows out of the head of a mummified caterpillar. Many companies are cultivating Cordyceps to meet the increased demand for its medicinal applications. However, the structures and functions of polysaccharides, one of the pharmaceutical active ingredients in Cordyceps, are difficult to reproduce in vitro. We hypothesized that mimicking the salty environment inside caterpillar bodies might make the cultured fungus synthesize polysaccharides with similar structures and functions to that of wild Cordyceps. By adding either sodium sulfate or sodium chloride into growth media, we observed the salinity-induced anti-angiogenesis activities of the polysaccharides purified from the cultured C. Militaris. To correlate the activities with the polysaccharide structures, we performed the (13)C-NMR analysis and observed profound structural changes including different proportions of α and ß glycosidic bonds and appearances of uronic acid signals in the polysaccharides purified from the culture after the salts were added. By coupling the techniques of stable (34)S-sulfate isotope labeling, aniline- and D5-aniline tagging, and stable isotope facilitated uronic acid-reduction with LC-MS analysis, our data revealed for the first time the existence of covalently linked sulfate and the presence of polygalacuronic acids in the polysaccharides purified from the salt added C. Militaris culture. Our data showed that culturing C. Militaris with added salts changed the biosynthetic scheme and resulted in novel polysaccharide structures and functions. These findings might be insightful in terms of how to make C. Militaris cultures to reach or to exceed the potency of wild Cordyceps in future.

Specificities of Ricinus communis agglutinin 120 interaction with sulfated galactose.

Lectins are used extensively as research tools to detect and target specific oligosaccharide sequences. Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA(120)) recognizes non-reducing terminal ß-D-galactose (Galß) and its specificities of interactions with neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides have been well documented. Here we use carbohydrate arrays of sulfated Galß-containing oligosaccharide probes, prepared from marine-derived galactans, to investigate their interactions with RCA(120). Our results showed that RCA(120) binding to Galß1-4 was enhanced by 2-O- or 6-O-sulfation but abolished by 4-O-sulfation. The results were corroborated with competition experiments. Erythrina cristagalli lectin is also a Galß-binding protein but it cannot accommodate any sulfation on Galß.

Insulin sensitizing effects of oligomannuronate-chromium (III) complexes in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: It was known that the insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is a major pathogenic factor in diabetes mellitus. Therefore prevention of metabolic disorder caused by insulin resistance and improvement of insulin sensitivity are very important for the therapy of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the ability of marine oligosaccharides oligomannuronate and its chromium (III) complexes from brown alga to enhance insulin sensitivity in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We demonstrated that oligomannuronate, especially its chromium (III) complexes, enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and increased the mRNA expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and insulin receptor (IR) after their internalization into C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Additionally, oligosaccharides treatment also significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of proteins involved in both AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathways in C2C12 cells, indicating that the oligosaccharides activated both the insulin signal pathway and AMPK pathways as their mode of action. Moreover, oligosaccharides distributed to the mitochondria after internalization into C2C12 cells and increased the expression of transcriptional regulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1), and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), which suggested that the actions of these oligosaccharides might be associated with mitochondria through increasing energy expenditure. All of these effects of marine oligosaccharides were comparable to that of the established anti-diabetic drug, metformin. In addition, the treatment with oligosaccharides showed less toxicity than that of metformin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that oligomannuonate and its chromium (III) complexes improved insulin sensitivity in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells, and acted as a novel glucose uptake stimulator with low toxicity, and could be used as dietary supplementary or potential drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus.