Heterogeneity of unfractionated heparins studied in connection with species, source, and production processes

The heterogeneity of unfractionated heparins (Hep) can be correlated to the species and organs of origin and to the process of production. Heparins, extracted by different, validated processes from different organs and/or tissues (mucosa, thymus, pancreas, placenta, lung, intestine) or mammals (pig, beef, sheep, man) and other vertebrates (chicken), have been examined by HPLC analysis of heparinase digests. By analysis of disaccharides many observations have been made. Porcine mucosa heparin (pm-Hep) was always found to contain higher amounts of the disaccharides delta UA-GlcNS,6S and delta UA-2S-GlcNS,6S, than did bovine mucosa heparin (bm-Hep), whereas bm-Hep always showed higher amounts of the sequence IdoA(2OSO3)-GlcNSO3 than did pm-Hep. These findings mean that the last step of the biosynthesis, the 6-O-sulfation of glucosamine-N-sulfate (GlcNSO3), is accomplished; in bm-Hep, to a lesser extent than in pm-Hep. The 6-O-sulfated molar fractions of pig mucosa, chicken intestine, beef pancreas, beef placenta, and beef lung heparins were higher than the corresponding molar fractions of beef mucosa and beef thymus Heps. Also the manufacturing processes can partially rearrange the heparin structure. Even 6-O-sulfation enrichment (by chromatographic purification) or base-catalyzed displacement of sulfate groups from IdoA2SO3 occurred. The resulting anticoagulant activity roughly correlated with the percentage of trisulfated disaccharide and the 6-O-sulfated molar fraction. The heparin from human placenta was similar to pm-Hep. The observed species- and organ-dependent structural characteristics support the suggestion by Nader and Dietrich (in Heparin, Chemical and Biological Properties, Lane DA, U Lindahl (Eds). Arnold, London, 1989, p 81) on the antipathogenic role of heparin. The 6-O-sulfation of glucosamine, present in higher amounts in organs that function as barriers against many foreign bodies, like lung, placenta, intestine of chicken and pig, may play an important role in this antipathogenic action of Hep.