Mucopolysaccharide from cuttlefish: Purification, chemical characterization and bioactive potential

Area of Science:

• Marine Biotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are crucial biomolecules with diverse biological activities.
• Investigating novel GAG sources, like marine organisms, can yield compounds with unique therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) from S. pharonis.
• To evaluate the anticoagulant and anticancer activities of the isolated sulfated GAG.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and biochemical analysis of sulfated GAG from S. pharonis.
• Structural characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and NMR Spectroscopy.
• Assessment of anticoagulant activity via Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT) assays.
• Evaluation of cytotoxic and anticancer effects on Vero and HeLa cell lines, respectively.

Main Results:

• Isolated sulfated GAG contained 62.4% carbohydrate and 3.9% protein, with a molecular weight of 27 kDa.
• The compound demonstrated significant anticoagulant activity (APTT: 91 IU, PT: 39.55 IU at 25μg/ml).
• Anticancer activity was observed against HeLa cells (18.65%-66.13% inhibition at 50-250μg/ml) with a CC50 of 1100μg/ml on Vero cells.

Conclusions:

• The sulfated GAG isolated from S. pharonis possesses significant anticoagulant and anticancer properties.
• This marine-derived GAG represents a promising candidate for future development as a dual-action therapeutic agent.