Characterization and Biological Activities of the Ulvan Polysaccharide-Rich Fraction Obtained from Ulva rigida and Ulva pseudorotundata and Their Potential for Pharmaceutical Application.

Seaweed from the genus Ulva (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) has a worldwide distribution and represents a potential biomass source for biotechnological applications. In the present study, we investigated the ulvan polysaccharide-rich fraction (UPRF) isolated from two Ulva species (U. rigida and U. pseudorotundata), naturally occurring on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Chemical characterization of UPRFs was performed in order to explore the polysaccharides' composition. Biological assessments of UPRFs were compared by antioxidant activity and in vitro toxicity tests in the human cell lines: HCT-116 (colon cancer), G-361 (malignant melanoma), U-937 (leukemia), and HaCaT cells (immortalized keratinocytes). Chemical analysis revealed that both UPRFs presented rhamnose as the major relative sugar constituent, followed by glucose in U. rigida and xylose in U. pseudorotundata. Both also presented glucuronic acid, galactose, ribose, and mannose as the remaining monosaccharides. Similar antioxidant activity was obtained, where we observed increased activity in response to increased polysaccharide concentrations. Both UPRFs presented moderate toxicity against HCT-116 cell lines and a selectivity index ≥ 3, suggesting a good potential for use in pharmaceutical products.

Semi-synthesis of hybrid ulvan-kappa-carrabiose polysaccharides and evaluation of their cytotoxic and anticoagulant effects.

In this study we described the synthesis of a hybrid polysaccharide harboring moieties of ulvan and kappa-carrabiose. Alkylamines (1,3-diaminopropane and 1,6-diaminohexane) were selectively inserted into ß-D-GlcAp and α-L-IdoAp units in the ulvan structure via an amide bond formation producing ulvan-amide derivatives F-DAP (N% = 1.77; Mw = 208 kg mol-1) and F-DAH (N% = 1.77; Mw = 202 kg mol-1), which were reacted with kappa-carrabiose via reductive amination to produce hybrid ulvan-kappa-carrabiose polysaccharides F-DAP-Kb (N% = 1.56; Mw = 206 kg mol-1) and F-DAH-Kb (N% = 1.16; Mw = 200 kg mol-1). All the ulvan derivatives were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and did not show cytotoxicity against human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) at the concentrations of 25, 100, and 500 µg mL-1, neither anticoagulant properties at the range of 10-150 µg mL-1. Therefore, the ulvan-amide derivatives and the hybrid ulvan-kappa-carrabiose polysaccharides showed good biocompatibility in vitro, presenting as worthy candidates for tailoring scaffolds for biomedical applications.

The Pros and Cons of Using Algal Polysaccharides as Prebiotics.

Macroalgae stand out for their high content of dietary fiber (30-75%) that include soluble, sulfated (fucoidan, agaran, carrageenan, and ulvan) and non-sulfated (laminaran and alginate) polysaccharides. Many studies indicate that these compounds exert varied biological activities and health-promoting effects and for this reason, there is a growing interest for using them in food products. The aim of this review was to critically evaluate prebiotic properties of algal polysaccharides, i.e., their ability to exert biological activities by modulating the composition and/or diversity of gut microbiota (GM). Pre-clinical studies show that the non-sulfated alginate and laminaran are well-fermented by GM, promoting the formation of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including butyrate, and preventing that of harmful putrefactive compounds (NH3, phenol, p-cresol, indole and H2S). Alginate increases Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus species while laminaran mostly stimulates Bacteroides sp. Results with sulfated polysaccharides are more questionable. Agarans are poorly fermentable but agarose-oligosaccharides exhibit an interesting prebiotic potential, increasing butyrate-producing bacteria and SCFAs. Though carrageenan-oligosaccharides are also fermented, their use is currently limited due to safety concerns. Regarding fucoidan, only one study reports SCFAs production, suggesting that it is poorly fermented. Its effect on GM does not indicate a clear pattern, making difficult to conclude whether it is beneficial or not. Notably, fucoidan impact on H2S production has not been evaluated, though some studies report it increases sulfate-reducing bacteria. Ulvan is badly fermented by GM and some studies show that part of its sulfate is dissimilated to H2S, which could affect colonic mitochondrial function. Accordingly, these results support the use of laminaran, alginate and agaro-oligosaccharides as prebiotics while more studies are necessary regarding that of fucoidan, carrageenan and ulvan. However, the realization of clinical trials is necessary to confirm such prebiotic properties in humans.

Durabilidade da resistência induzida por ulvana e efeito da concentração de inóculo no controle da antracnose do feijão / Persistence of ulvan-induced resistance and effect of inoculum concentration in the control of bean anthracnose

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a duração da resistência induzida, a eficiência do número e intervalo de aplicações de ulvana, bem como a influência de diferentes concentrações de inóculo no controle e na severidade da antracnose do feijão. Para tanto, foram realizados três experimentos independentes. Plantas de feijão (P. vulgaris, cv. Uirapuru) foram cultivadas em condições de casa-de-vegetação e, no primeiro experimento, foram pulverizadas com ulvana em uma única aplicação aos: nove dias antes da inoculação (dai) V3(i); seis dai V3(m); três dai V3(f); ou duas aplicações consecutivas realizadas aos nove e seis dai V3(i)/(m); nove e três dai V3(i)/(f) ou seis e três dai V3(m)/(f) e inoculadas em um mesmo momento. No segundo e terceiro experimentos, plantas de feijão foram tratadas duas vezes (seis e três dai) e inoculadas em diferentes momentos ou com diferentes concentrações de inóculo, respectivamente. A pulverização de ulvana reduziu a severidade da antracnose em cerca de 50%. Duas aplicações de ulvana foram mais eficientes em induzir respostas de defesa em feijão contra a antracnose que somente uma. A maior redução (96%) da doença ocorreu com pulverizações sucessivas em V3(m)/(f). O efeito de duas aplicações do polissacarídeo persistiu até nove dias após o tratamento. A redução na severidade da antracnose foi maior quando foram utilizadas concentrações intermediárias de inóculo (105 e 106 conídios por mL).

The present work aimed to evaluate the persistence of the induced resistance, the efficiency of the number and the interval of ulvan applications and the influence of different inoculum concentrations in the control of bean anthracnose. Three independent experiments were carried out. Bean plants (P. vulgaris, cv. Uirapuru) were cultivated under green house conditions and, in the first experiment, they were treated with ulvan once at nine days before inoculation (dbi) V3(i); six dbi V3(m) or three dbi V3(f) or they were treated twice at nine and six dbi V3(i)/(m); nine and three V3(i)/(f) or six and three (dbi) V3(m)/(f), the they were inoculated at the same time. In the second and third experiments, bean plants were treated twice (six and three dbi) then inoculated in different moments or with different inoculums concentrations, respectively. The application of ulvan reduced the anthracnose severity by 50%. Two ulvan applications were more efficient in inducing defense responses in bean plants than a single application. The highest disease reduction (96%) was achieved by spraying ulvan twice at V3(m)/(f). The effect of two applications persists until nine days after the treatment. The reduction on the anthracnose severity was higher when intermediate (105 e 106 conidia per mL) inoculum concentrations were used.