Selectin-blocking semisynthetic sulfated polysaccharides as promising anti-inflammatory agents

Selectin-induced leucocytes rolling along the endothelial surface of blood vessels initiate a complex adhesion cascade, which is an essential step in the cellular immune response. Consequently, blocking the binding between the selectins and their ligands represents a promising strategy for suppressing pathological inflammatory reactions. This study describes the effects of an unfractionated heparin and a low-molecular-weight heparin and a series of structurally well-defined semisynthetic glucan sulfates on selectin-mediated cell-rolling with respect to inhibition. To simulate the blood flow characteristics of postcapillary venules, the rolling experiments were performed in a dynamic-flow-chamber system with immobilized selectins and selectin ligand-carrying U937 cells. The influence of the test compounds on cell rolling was measured by the percentage of adherent cells after a certain flow time and the velocity of the rolling cells. Whereas the test compounds displayed no inhibitory effect on E-selectin-mediated cell rolling, they efficiently blocked the rolling induced by P-selectin. The glucan sulfates were much more active than either unfractionated heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin, or the standard inhibitor Sialyl Lewis(X). Their inhibitory potency turned out to be strongly dependent on various structural parameters, such as sulfation pattern and molecular weight. In conclusion, the semisysnthetic glucan sulfates represent promising candidates in the development of selectin blocking agents.