A regular Chlorella mannogalactan and its sulfated derivative as a promising anticoagulant: Structural characterization and anticoagulant activity

Chlorella is one of the most widely cultivated species of microalgae and has been consumed as a green healthy food. In this study, a novel polysaccharide (CPP-1) was isolated from Chlorella pyrenoidosa, structurally analyzed, and sulfated as a promising anticoagulant. Structural analyses by chemical and instrumental methods such as monosaccharide composition, methylation-GC-MS and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy analysis revealed that CPP-1 had a molecular weight of 13.6 kDa, and mainly consisted of D-mannopyranose (D-Manp), 3-O-methylated D-Manp (3-O-Me-D-Manp), and D-galactopyranose (D-Galp). The molar ratio of D-Manp and D-Galp was 1.0:2.3. CPP-1 consisted of a (1 -> 6)-linked beta-D-Galp backbone substituted at C-3 by the D-Manp and 3-O-Me-D-Manp residues in a molar ratio of 1:1, which was a regular mannogalactan. The sulfated Chlorella mannogalactan (SCM) with sulfated group content of 40.2 % equivalent to that of unfractionated heparin was prepared and analyzed. NMR analysis confirmed its structure, indicating that most free hydroxyl groups in the side chains and partial hydroxyl groups in the backbone were sulfated. Anticoagulant activity assays indicated that SCM exhibited strong anticoagulant activity by inhibiting intrinsic tenase (FXase) with IC50 of 13.65 ng/mL, which may be a safer anticoagulant as an alternative to heparin-like drugs.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel polysaccharide (CPP-1) was isolated from Chlorella pyrenoidosa and sulfated, showing potential as an anticoagulant. CPP-1 was mainly composed of D-mannopyranose, 3-O-methylated D-mannopyranose, and D-galactopyranose. The sulfated Chlorella mannogalactan (SCM) derived from CPP-1 demonstrated strong anticoagulant activity, making it a possible safer alternative to heparin-like drugs.