Antithrombotic Activity of Heparinoid G2 and Its Derivatives from the Clam Coelomactra antiquata.

Clam heparinoid G2 (60.25 kDa) and its depolymerized derivatives DG1 (24.48 kDa) and DG2 (6.75 kDa) prepared from Coelomactra antiquata have been documented to have excellent fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activity. In this study, to further explore the antithrombotic activity of G2, DG1 and DG2, azure A, sheep plasma, and clot lytic rate assays were used to determine their anticoagulant and thrombolytic activity in vitro. The results indicated that the anticoagulant titer of G2 was approximately 70% that of heparin and the thrombolytic activity of DG2 was greater than G2, DG1, and heparin activities. Moreover, in a carrageenan-induced venous thrombosis model, oral administration of G2 and DG1 each at 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg for 7 days significantly reduced blacktail thrombus formation, increased tissue-type plasminogen activator, fibrin degradation products, and D-dimer levels, decreased von Willebrand factor and thromboxane B2 levels, and restored phylum and genus abundance changes of intestinal bacteria. DG2 had no antithrombotic effect. At 20 mg/kg, G2, DG1, and heparin had comparable antithrombotic activities, and DG1 at 40 mg/kg had more muscular antithrombotic activity than G2. Thus, DG1 could be an antithrombotic oral agent owing to its more robust antithrombotic activity and lower molecular weight.

Oversulfated dermatan sulfate and heparinoid in the starfish Lysastrosoma anthosticta: Structures and anticoagulant activity.

Crude anionic polysaccharides extracted from the Pacific starfish Lysastrosoma anthosticta were separated by anion-exchange chromatography into fractions LA-F1 and LA-F2. The main fraction LA-F1 was solvolytically desulfated giving rise to preparation LA-F1-DS with a structure of dermatan core [→3)-ß-d-GalNAc-(1→4)-α-l-IdoA-(1→]n. Reduction of LA-F1 afforded preparation LA-F1-RED composed mainly of the repeating disaccharide units →3)-ß-d-GalNAc4R-(1→4)-α-l-Ido2S3S-(1→, where R was SO3- or H. Analysis of the NMR spectra of the parent fraction LA-F1 led to determine the main component as the oversulfated dermatan sulfate LA-Derm bearing sulfate groups at O-2 and O-3 of α-l-iduronic acid, as well as at O-4 of some N-acetyl-d-galactosamine residues. The minor fraction LA-F2 contained a mixture of LA-Derm and heparinoid LA-Hep, the latter being composed of the fragments →4)-α-d-GlcNS3S6S-(1→4)-α-l-IdoA2S3S-(1→ and →4)-α-d-GlcNS3S-(1→4)-α-l-IdoA2S3S-(1→. The presence of 2,3-di-O-sulfated iduronic acid residues is very unusual both for natural dermatan sulfate and heparinoid. Preparations LA-F1, LA-F2 and LA-F1-RED demonstrated significant anticoagulant effect in vitro.

Heparinoid Complex-Based Heparin-Binding Cytokines and Cell Delivery Carriers.

Heparinoid is the generic term that is used for heparin, heparan sulfate (HS), and heparin-like molecules of animal or plant origin and synthetic derivatives of sulfated polysaccharides. Various biological activities of heparin/HS are attributed to their specific interaction and regulation with various heparin-binding cytokines, antithrombin (AT), and extracellular matrix (ECM) biomolecules. Specific domains with distinct saccharide sequences in heparin/HS mediate these interactions are mediated and require different highly sulfated saccharide sequences with different combinations of sulfated groups. Multivalent and cluster effects of the specific sulfated sequences in heparinoids are also important factors that control their interactions and biological activities. This review provides an overview of heparinoid-based biomaterials that offer novel means of engineering of various heparin-binding cytokine-delivery systems for biomedical applications and it focuses on our original studies on non-anticoagulant heparin-carrying polystyrene (NAC-HCPS) and polyelectrolyte complex-nano/microparticles (N/MPs), in addition to heparin-coating devices.

Heparinoids Danaparoid and Sulodexide as clinically used drugs.

Heparin is the first glycosaminoglycan ever identified. All the heparin-like glycosaminoglycans that are also isolated from animal tissues or any polysaccharides that mimic the biological activities of heparin are called heparinoids. Heparin is the mostly sulfated glycosaminoglycan made by mast cells and an essential anticoagulant drug in modern medicine. Heparin inhibits both thrombin generation and thrombin activity, releases tissue factor pathway inhibitor, and possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-angiogenesis, anti-neoplastic, and anti-metastatic properties though high affinity interactions with a variety of proteins in the blood circulation. The multi-pharmacological effects of heparin are both sequence- and sulfation degree dependent. Less sulfated heparinoids have been indicated to have more physiological functions than heparin. Since the anticoagulant heparin is associated with severe side effects, such as bleeding and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis, it is expected that the less sulfated heparinoids might serve as alternative drugs for patients who cannot use heparin. The crude heparin isolated from animal tissues contains ~50% heparin and ~50% less sulfated heparinoids. Indeed, the less sulfated waste heparinoids 1 during heparin production is chemically degraded and developed into the clinical drug Danaparoid and the more sulfated waste heparinoids 2 during heparin production is chemically degraded and developed into the clinical drug Sulodexide. Moreover, clinical studies indicate that Danaparoid and Sulodexide have the expected pharmacological activities. We will provide an update on the chemical characteristics and clinical use of the heparinoids Danaparoid and Sulodexide. In addition, the potential clinical applications of Danaparoid and Sulodexide in other therapeutic area will also be discussed.

Efficacy of heparinoid PSS in treating cardiovascular diseases and beyond-A review of 31 years clinical experiences in China.

Heparin is a life-saving drug with multiple molecular targets and mostly well known for its anticoagulant and antithrombotic pharmacological effects in treating cardiovascular diseases. All the heparin-like polysaccharides that mimic the biological activities of heparin are called heparinoids. However, heparin has no pharmacological effect if taken orally and has to be used by injection in hospital settings. Thus, heparinoids that can be taken orally are critically needed. Propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate (PSS) is the world's first oral heparinoid used in treating cardiovascular diseases approved by Chinese Food and Drug Administration in 1987. PSS 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 cardiovascular disease-prevention drug. PSS is also clinically trialed for treating diabetes and diabetes-associated complications, hepatitis, kidney, skin, and many other diseases in China. PSS is available in most drug stores in China, and millions of patients take PSS routinely during the past 31 years. The 24,089 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 and other heparinoids.

Efficient Synthesis of Heparinoid Bioconjugates for Tailoring FGF2 Activity at the Stem Cell-Matrix Interface.

Heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HS GAGs) attached to proteoglycans harbor high affinity binding sites for various growth factors (GFs) and direct their organization and activity across the cell-matrix interface. Here, we describe a mild and efficient method for generating HS-protein conjugates. The two-step process utilizes a "copper-free click" coupling between differentially sulfated heparinoids primed at their reducing end with an azide handle and a bovine serum albumin protein modified with complementary cyclooctyne functionality. When adsorbed on tissue culture substrates, the glycoconjugates served as extracellular matrix proteoglycan models with the ability to sequester FGF2 and influence mesenchymal stem cell proliferation based on the structure of their HS GAG component.

Properties of Heparinoids Premixed with Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.

Tumor-derived exosomes are bound and internalized to organ-specific cells, affecting metastasis. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans mediate the interaction between cells and exosomes. Exosome transfer to the recipient cell can be competitively blocked by heparinoids, because heparin is structurally similar to heparan sulfate. It is hypothesized that there may be structural requirements of heparinoids to attenuate the cellular uptake and metastatic activity of tumor-derived exosomes. Here, we compared the properties of unfractionated heparin (UFH), glycol-split UFH, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), glycol-split LMWH, and ultra-LMWH premixed with A549-derived exosomes. Uptake of A549-derived exosomes (0.1 mg/mL) into BEAS-2B cells was significantly blocked by 0.4 mg/mL of heparinoids. Heparinoids attenuated migration of BEAS-2B cells stimulated by A549-derived exosomes. Glycol-split LMWH with no antifactor Xa activity exhibited the strongest antimigratory effects than other heparinoids. Thus, heparinoids with proper molecular weight and structure can inhibit tumor-derived exosomes, not proportionally to the anticoagulant activity.

Mixtures of betamethasone butyrate propionate ointments and heparinoid oil-based cream: Physical stability evaluation.

Betamethasone butyrate propionate ointment (BBPO) is mainly used for adult patients in dermatology and is often prescribed as a mixture containing a base or moisturizing cream for various reasons. However, in the case of a moisturizing cream, since this formulation is composed of various ingredients, a physical change is expected to occur by mixing it with an ointment. Therefore, in the present study, the physical stability of a mixture of four BBPO formulations and heparinoid oily cream (HPOC) was examined. Layer separation was observed in all mixtures following centrifugation. The near-infrared (NIR) measurement showed a peak at 5200 cm-1 on the lower layer side, which strongly suggests the presence of water. The peak at 5200 cm-1 in the middle layer was hardly observed in the mixtures of two BBPO generic formulations and HPOC, thus suggesting that the separation was more advanced in those mixtures than in the others. These two mixtures separated into a semisolid layer (upper side) and a liquid layer (lower side) after 3 h of storage at 37 °C. The NIR measurement of each layer revealed that most of the semisolid layer was oil while the liquid layer was water. Furthermore, backscattered light measurements were conducted to monitor the behavior of the mixture's layer separation. An evaluation using model formulations revealed that the layer separation of the mixtures was due to the propylene glycol (PG) and surfactant content of the two generic BBPO formulations. Thus, these findings suggest that excipients need to be considered in selecting formulations for mixtures of skin preparations.

Interaction of albumins and heparinoids investigated by affinity capillary electrophoresis and free flow electrophoresis.

A fast and precise affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) method has been applied to investigate the interactions between two serum albumins (HSA and BSA) and heparinoids. Furthermore, different free flow electrophoresis methods were developed to separate the species which appears owing to interaction of albumins with pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) under different experimental conditions. For ACE experiments, the normalized mobility ratios (∆R/Rf ), which provided information about the binding strength and the overall charge of the protein-ligand complex, were used to evaluate the binding affinities. ACE experiments were performed at two different temperatures (23 and 37°C). Both BSA and HSA interact more strongly with PPS than with unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins. For PPS, the interactions can already be observed at low mg/L concentrations (3 mg/L), and saturation is already obtained at approximately 20 mg/L. Unfractionated heparin showed almost no interactions with BSA at 23°C, but weak interactions at 37°C at higher heparin concentrations. The additional signals also appeared at higher concentrations at 37°C. Nevertheless, in most cases the binding data were similar at both temperatures. Furthermore, HSA showed a characteristic splitting in two peaks especially after interacting with PPS, which is probably attributable to the formation of two species or conformational change of HSA after interacting with PPS. The free flow electrophoresis methods have confirmed and completed the ACE experiments.

Evaluation of Moisturizing Effect of Heparinoid Ointment (Hirudoid Soft Ointment) Diluted by White Petrolatum (Propeto).

Steroid ointments are frequently mixed with moisturizer. It was reported that steroid ointments mixed with moisturizer increase permeability. There are only few studies done on the permeability of the moisturizer. We researched moisturizing effect of heparinoid ointment (Hirudoid Soft ointment) diluted with white petrolatum (Propeto) on the dry skin models by measuring water content of stratum. Two to four fold dilution of Hirudoid to white petrolatum resulted in a significant decrease in the moisturizing effect of the active ingredient. There was no significant difference in moisturizing effect between four times diluted mixture and white petrolatum alone. This leads to the conclusion that steroid ointment mixture with moisturizer is frequently used, but we should take more caution regarding the decrease of moisturizing effect.

Using affinity capillary electrophoresis and computational models for binding studies of heparinoids with p-selectin and other proteins.

A fast and precise affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) method has been developed and applied for the investigation of the binding interactions between P-selectin and heparinoids as potential P-selectin inhibitors in the presence and absence of calcium ions. Furthermore, model proteins and vitronectin were used to appraise the binding behavior of P-selectin. The normalized mobility ratios (∆R/Rf ), which provided information about the binding strength and the overall charge of the protein-ligand complex, were used to evaluate the binding affinities. It was found that P-selectin interacts more strongly with heparinoids in the presence of calcium ions. P-selectin was affected by heparinoids at the concentration of 3 mg/L. In addition, the results of the ACE experiments showed that among other investigated proteins, albumins and vitronectin exhibited strong interactions with heparinoids. Especially with P-selectin and vitronectin, the interaction may additionally induce conformational changes. Subsequently, computational models were applied to interpret the ACE experiments. Docking experiments explained that the binding of heparinoids on P-selectin is promoted by calcium ions. These docking models proved to be particularly well suited to investigate the interaction of charged compounds, and are therefore complementary to ACE experiments.

Anticoagulant and FGF/FGFR signal activating activities of the heparinoid propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate and its oligosaccharides.

Propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfate (PSS), prepared by chemical sulfation of alginate, has been used for treating cardiovascular diseases in China for nearly 30 years. In the current study, the PSS was hydrolyzed partially by an environment-friendly solid phase acid degradation method, and then separated by using a Bio-Gel P6 chromatographic column. Thirteen PSS oligosaccharide fractions were obtained and characterized by ESI-MS. The results of different coagulation assays showed that a high molecular weight and a higher degree of sulfation were essential for the anticoagulant activity of the PSS because the PSS oligosaccharides exhibited no detectable anticoagulant activity. In contrast, not only PSS but also certain oligosaccharides showed significant activities in stimulation of FGF1, 2, 7, 8, 9 or 10 induced cell proliferation in FGFR1c-expressing BaF3 cells. Such properties made the PSS and its oligosaccharides promising compounds in the regulation of FGF-dependent development, treatment of cancer, and wound healing processes.

The effect of storage time on the release profile of dexamethasone dipropionate from admixtures of steroid and heparinoid ointments.

We examined the stability and release profiles of dexamethasone dipropionate (DDP) from admixtures by using an innovator ointment (Methaderm [IM]), two generic ointments (Promethasone [GP] and Mainvate [GM]), and a heparinoid ointment. The admixtures were prepared using a spatula and an ointment slab and were stored at room temperature. Microscopic and Fourier transform-Raman spectrometric analyses showed that crystallization of DDP in admixtures of IM after 1 week of storage occured. And DDP crystals in all admixtures of GP and GM were observed. DDP was not decomposed in the admixtures after storage. Cumulative DDP permeation across a silicone membrane in a 1-week storage sample of the IM system decreased with DDP crystallization and reached a plateau after 2 weeks. In the GP and GM systems, DDP permeation decreased after 1 week of storage and increased again after 2 and 4 weeks. Each admixture was separated into 3 phases (liquid, lower, and upper solid phases) by ultracentrifugation to determine the apparent solubility of DDP. The DDP contents in the upper solid phase of the IM admixtures at 1, 2, and 4 weeks were lower than that in the 0-week sample. No significant differences were observed in the DDP content between the liquid phases throughout the storage period. Therefore, the amount of DDP dissolved in the upper solid phase may influence DDP release from the IM admixtures. The GP and GM systems showed no significant differences in the apparent DDP solubility. These results indicate that the dispersion state of DDP in the tested admixtures may be altered with storage.

Release profiles of dexamethasone dipropionate from admixtures of steroid and heparinoid ointments prepared by different mixing methods.

Characterization and release profiles of commercial dexamethasone dipropionate (DDP) from an innovator and 2 generic ointments (Methaderm (IM), Promethasone (GP), and Mainvate (GM)) and their admixtures with heparinoid ointment (Hirudoid Soft) were investigated. The admixtures were prepared using 2 mixing methods (slab or rotation/revolution mixer). Microscopic and FT-Raman spectrometric analyses revealed that the ointments, except for IM, contained DDP crystals. A silicone membrane was used for the evaluation of the DDP permeation. The permeated DDP amounts from GP and GM were lower than that from IM, indicating that DDP solubility in the ointment vehicle affected the release of DDP from the ointment. No significant differences were observed in DDP release between IM alone and its admixture prepared using a slab; however, DDP release from the admixture prepared using a rotation/revolution mixer was significantly lower than those from IM alone and its admixture by slab. In the GP system, DDP release from the admixtures by the 2 mixing methods was higher than that from GP alone, whereas no significant difference in DDP release between the 2 mixing methods was observed. No significant differences were observed between the GM and admixtures. The apparent solubility of DDP in the admixtures as determined by the ultracentrifugal separation method indicated that the DDP amount in the liquid phase of admixtures with GP was 6 times higher than that of admixtures with IM or GM. Therefore, the apparent solubility of DDP in the liquid phase in the GP system might influence the DDP release in admixtures.

Development of a fluorescent anti-factor Xa assay to monitor unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins.

Fluorogenic assays have many potential advantages over traditional clot-based and chromogenic assays such as the absence of interference from a range of factor deficiencies as well as offering the possibility of assays in platelet rich plasma or whole blood. A fluorogenic anti-factor Xa (anti-FXa) assay has been developed for the determination of unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), namely enoxaparin and tinzaparin, and the synthetic heparinoid danaparoid, in commercial human pooled plasma. The assay was based on the complexation of heparin-spiked plasmas with exogenous FXa at a concentration of 4nM in the presence of 0.9microM of the fluorogenic substrate methylsulfonyl-D-cyclohexylalanyl-glycyl-arginine-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin acetate (Pefafluor FXa). Pooled plasma samples were spiked with concentrations of anticoagulants in the range 0-1.6U/ml. The assay was capable of the measurement of UFH and danaparoid in the range 0-1U/ml, and enoxaparin and tinzaparin in the range 0-0.8 and 0-0.6U/ml, respectively. Correlation coefficients generated by linear regression of the log/lin data analysis were between 0.93 and 0.96 for the anticoagulants tested. Assay percentage coefficients of variation were typically below 7%.

Neonatal screening for mucopolysaccharidoses by determination of glycosaminoglycans in the eluate of urine-impregnated paper: preliminary results of an improved DMB-based procedure.

BACKGROUND: The fact that mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSes) are now treatable, and that the earlier treatment is initiated the better, is an indication for neonatal screening. The most efficient approach seems likely to be a multi-tier procedure in which screening for urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) is followed by enzyme determinations in heelprick blood of newborns screening positive. Hitherto the method of choice for the determination of GAG has been the measurement of absorbance by a complex of GAG and 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMB). METHOD: We evaluated a DMB method in which absorbance by DMB is measured following its addition to the eluate obtained from paper-borne newborn urine samples and is normalized relative to urinary creatinine. Calibration is performed with chondroitin-6-sulfate (Ch-6-S). RESULTS: The limits of detection and quantification of GAG were 1.98 and 5.94 mg/dl, respectively. The within-run coefficients of variation (CVs) of the GAG/creatinine ratio for 25, 31, and 70 mg/dl solutions of Ch-6-S in urine were 21.8, 16.4, and 10.5%, respectively, and the corresponding between-run CVs were 25.0, 13.5, and 10.1%. Recovery from the urine spiked with 31 mg Ch-6-S/dl was 94.8%. Accuracy was also acceptable for all other GAGs except hyaluronic acid. For neonatal screening, the diagnostic threshold was tentatively established as 800 mg GAG/g creatinine, the 95th centile of samples from 903 infants aged 3-28 days, but the value of the GAG/creatinine ratio was negatively correlated with age. Application of the new method to samples from older individuals with and without MPS achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity when used with an age-dependent threshold taken from the literature on the original DMB method. CONCLUSION: If used in the first tier of a multi-tier screening protocol, the proposed method would allow the detection of abnormal levels of all GAGs except hyaluronic acid.

Improved hydrophilic interaction chromatography LC/MS of heparinoids using a chip with postcolumn makeup flow.

Heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin are linear, heterogeneous carbohydrates of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) family that are modified by N-acetylation, N-sulfation, O-sulfation, and uronic acid epimerization. HS interacts with growth factors in the extracellular matrix, thereby modulating signaling pathways that govern cell growth, development, differentiation, proliferation, and adhesion. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-chip-based hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry has emerged as a method for analyzing the domain structure of GAGs. However, analysis of highly sulfated GAG structures decasaccharide or larger in size has been limited by spray instability in the negative-ion mode. This report demonstrates that addition of postcolumn makeup flow to the amide-HPLC-chip configuration permits robust and reproducible analysis of extended GAG domains (up to degree of polymerization 18) from HS and heparin. This platform provides quantitative information regarding the oligosaccharide profile, degree of sulfation, and nonreducing chain termini. It is expected that this technology will enable quantitative, comparative glycomics profiling of extended GAG oligosaccharide domains of functional interest.

Heparins: process-related physico-chemical and compositional characteristics, fingerprints and impurities.

During the past 25 years, heparin extraction and purification processes have changed. The results of these changes are reflected by the continuous increase in potency of the International Standard for heparin. This increase is due not only to a higher purity, but also to a number of changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of heparin. For long time, all these changes have been disregarded as non-critical by regulatory authorities. Heparin marketing authorisation was reviewed only two years ago and Pharmacopoeia monographs were reviewed just for the addition of new tests, mainly aimed at tackling the oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) crisis. Currently, heparin monographs are again under revision. Such changes, different for each manufacturer, have caused a further increase in the heterogeneity of individual batches of heparin. This review aims at showing that chemical, physical and biological characteristics of heparin (such as disaccharide composition, amount of low sulfated and high sulfated sequences, molecular weight profiles [MW], activities, structural artifacts, fingerprints and glycosaminoglycans impurities) are all process-dependent and may significantly vary when different processes are used to minimise the content of dermatan sulfate. The wide heterogeneity of the physico-chemical characteristics of currently marketed heparin and the lack of suitable and shareable reference standards for the identification/quantification of process-related impurities caused, and are still causing, heated debates among scientific institutions, companies and authorities.

The potential for circular dichroism as an additional facile and sensitive method of monitoring low-molecular-weight heparins and heparinoids.

The ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectra of commercial low-molecular-weight heparins, heparinoids and other anticoagulant preparations have been recorded between 180 and 260 nm. Principal component analysis of the spectra allowed their differentiation into a number of groups related to the means of their production reflecting the structural changes introduced by each process. The findings suggest that CD provides a complementary technique for the rapid analysis of heparin preparations.