From Native Glycosaminoglycans to Mimetics: Design, Mechanisms, and Biomedical Applications

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential regulators of numerous biological processes through their interactions with growth factors, chemokines, cytokines, and enzymes. Their structural diversity and heterogeneity, however, limit reproducibility and translational use, as native GAGs are typically obtained from animal-derived sources with notable batch-to-batch variability. To overcome these challenges, a wide range of GAG mimetics has been developed with the aim of replicating or modulating the biological functions of native GAGs while offering improved structural definition, accessibility, and therapeutic potential. Polysaccharide-based GAG mimetics, including derivatives of heparan sulfate, hyaluronan, dextran, and other natural glycans, represent one major strategy, whereas non-saccharide-based mimetics provide alternative scaffolds with enhanced stability and selectivity. Both approaches have yielded compounds that serve as valuable tools for dissecting GAG/protein interactions and as candidates for therapeutic development. Biomedical applications of GAG mimetics span diverse areas such as cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, bone and cartilage regeneration, wound healing, and infectious diseases. This mini-review summarizes key developments in the design and synthesis of GAG mimetics, highlights their potential biomedical applications, and discusses current challenges and future perspectives in advancing them toward clinical translation.