Molecular characteristics of polysulfated fractions from the green seaweed Caulerpa cupressoides and actions on thrombin generation in vitro

Caulerpa cupressoides produces sulfated polysaccharides (Cc-SPs) with serpin-dependent anticoagulant effect, but their actions on thrombin generation (TG) are unknown. This study aimed to partially characterize Cc-SPs and examine their potential as modulators of TG. Infrared analysis characterized extract containing three ulvan fractions (Cc-SP1, -SP2 and -SP3) separated by DEAEcellulose chromatography, with differences in the relative proportions of sulfate (10.99-18.38%) and total sugars (46.59-51.12%), without presenting proteins. Charge density patterns and nonSPs varying from 8 to > 100 kDa on agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by sequential staining with toluidine blue and stains-all were also confirmed by gel permeation chromatography. The molecular weight of Cc-SP2 was not altered after treatment with 0.4 M HCl up to 5 h. Only Cc-SP2 altered the activated partial thromboplastin time (15 ± 0.3 IU) vs. heparin (193 IU) and abolished at high concentrations (> 4.1 μg) TG by intrinsic pathway in 60-fold diluted human plasma, while at 4.1 μg attenuated TG by 33.87% delaying the lag phase (32 min.) vs. control (28 min.). Cc-SP2 induced concentration-dependent TG in system without cephalin. Heparin abolished TG at 4.15-fold lower amount, but did not stimulate TG. Therefore, Cc-SPs express dual effects on thrombosis in vitro.

Blood coagulation abnormalities in multibacillary leprosy patients.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is a chronic dermato-neurological disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae infection. In 2016, more than 200,000 new cases of leprosy were detected around the world, representing the most frequent cause of infectious irreversible deformities and disabilities. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present work, we demonstrate a consistent procoagulant profile on 40 reactional and non-reactional multibacillary leprosy patients. A retrospective analysis in search of signs of coagulation abnormalities among 638 leprosy patients identified 35 leprosy patients (5.48%) which displayed a characteristic lipid-like clot formed between blood clot and serum during serum harvesting, herein named 'leprosum clot'. Most of these patients (n = 16, 45.7%) belonged to the lepromatous leprosy pole of the disease. In addition, formation of the leprosum clot was directly correlated with increased plasma levels of soluble tissue factor and von Willebrand factor. High performance thin layer chromatography demonstrated a high content of neutral lipids in the leprosum clot, and proteomic analysis demonstrated that the leprosum clot presented in these patients is highly enriched in fibrin. Remarkably, differential 2D-proteomics analysis between leprosum clots and control clots identified two proteins present only in leprosy patients clots: complement component 3 and 4 and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor family heavy chain-related protein (IHRP). In agreement with those observations we demonstrated that M. leprae induces hepatocytes release of IHRP in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that leprosy MB patients develop a procoagulant status due to high levels of plasmatic fibrinogen, anti-cardiolipin antibodies, von Willebrand factor and soluble tissue factor. We propose that some of these components, fibrinogen for example, presents potential as predictive biomarkers of leprosy reactions, generating tools for earlier diagnosis and treatment of these events.

Extraction, physical-chemical characterization and in vitro inhibitorypotential of thrombin generation of crude sulfated polysaccharides from Brazilian tropical seaweeds / Extração, caracterização físico-química e potencial inibitório in vitro da geração detrombina de polissacarídeos sulfatados brutos de algas marinhas tropicais brasileiras

The biotechnological value of macroalgae for screening assays of thrombin generation-TG using sulfated polysaccharides-SPs as substitutes to heparin has been poorly explored. Five Brazilian species of macroalgae (Gracilaria birdiae, Acanthophora muscoides, Halymenia sp., Caulerpa cupressoides and C. racemosa) wereanalyzed and compared for their abundance, physical-chemical characteristics and in vitro anticoagulant assays of activated partial thromboplastin time-APTT, prothrombin time-PT and TG. Papain extraction yielded (p 100 kDa. These procedures,combined with the use of Stains-All, also indicated nonSPs. APTTs ranged from 2.81 (A. muscoides) to 21.30 IU(Halymenia sp.) vs. heparin (193 IU), and were dependent on sulfation of the crude SPs. PT was not altered. Withrespect to TG assay, crude SPs modified concentration-dependent and independently from molecular mass TGby both intrinsic/extrinsic pathways in 60-fold diluted human plasma, with total intrinsic inactivation using crudeSPs from A. muscoides in parallel to heparin (p < 0.05). Thrombosis in vitro is differentially modulated by distinctcrude SPs from Brazilian seaweeds.

O valor biotecnológico das macroalgas para ensaios de varredura de geração de trombina-GT pouco tem sido explorado usando polissacarídeos sulfatados-PSs como substitutos à heparina. Foramanalisadas e comparadas cinco espécies brasileiras de macroalgas (Gracilaria birdiae, Acanthophora muscoides, Halymenia sp., Caulerpa cupressoides e C. racemosa) quanto à abundância, às característicasfísico-químicas e os ensaios anticoagulantes in vitro de tempo de tromboplastina parcial ativada-TTPA, aotempo de protrombina-TP e a GT. A extração com papaína rendeu (p 100 kDa. Esses procedimentos,combinados ao uso de azul de toluidina/Stains-All, indicaram também polissacarídeos-não sulfatados. OsTTPAs foram dependentes da sulfatação dos PSs brutos e variaram de 2,81 (A. muscoides) a 21,30 UI (Halymenia sp.) vs. heparina (193 UI). O TP não foi alterado. Com respeito ao ensaio de GT, os PSs brutos modificaram, dependente de concentração e independentemente de massa molecular, GT pelas viasintrínseca/extrínseca no plasma humano diluído 60 vezes, com inativação intrínseca total usando PSs brutosde A. muscoides em paralelo à heparina (p < 0,05). A trombose in vitro é modulada diferencialmente porPSs brutos distintos de algas marinhas brasileiras.

A color-code for glycosaminoglycans identification by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis stained with the cationic carbocyanine dye Stains-all.

Cationic dyes such as toluidin blue are commonly employed to visualize glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on electrophoresis gels; however, the carbocyanine-based dye Stains-all have been increasingly used to stain the non-sulfated hyaluronic acid and other GAGs in submicrogram quantities. In this short communication, we demonstrate that Stains-all is able to stain the most common GAGs on polyacrylamide gels with distinct and contrasting colors in a reproducible manner. We also show that this staining method is useful to identify GAGs present both in mixtures and in submicrogram quantities. Therefore, Stains-all has shown to be useful in identifying GAGs on polyacrylamide gels with basis on their specific colors, at least on screening level.

Blood coagulation abnormalities in multibacilary leprosy patients

Hemostatic illnesses are frequently associated with acute and chronic infections. In the present work we demonstrated that leprosy patients developed hemostatic abnormalities, like the formation of an atypical lipid clot mass during sera harvesting, a phenomenon previously observed and never unraveled. We characterize the nature of the "leprosum clot", formed during a protrombotic state developed by some patients. During the proteomic analysis of the leprosum clot we discovered a set of potential serum biomarkers to leprosy reactional episodes diagnosis, which at this moment is based only in clinical features. Taking together, our data suggest that leprosy patients are suffering from a procoagulant status, being beneficiated by the introduction of routine coagulation tests during their treatment, which will aloud physicians to prevent some of the acute clinical symptoms related with superficial vein thrombosis such as cyanosis and tissue necrosis observed during severe cases of leprosy reactional episodes. (AU)

In vitro inactivation of thrombin generation by polysulfated fractions isolated from the tropical coenocytic green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa (Caulerpaceae, Bryopsidales) / Inativação in vitro da geração de trombina por frações polissulfatadas isoladas da macroalga verde cenocítica tropical Caulerpa racemosa (Caulerpaceae; Bryopsidales)

Pharmacological efficacy of Caulerpa racemosa (Chlorophyta) sulfated polysaccharidic (SPs) fractions (F I→III) on models of coagulation and inflammation has been demonstrated, but not their effects on thrombin generation (TG). This study examined fractions for composition and physical-chemical characteristics and in vitro inactivation of TG by F I and F II in 60-fold diluted human plasma using continuous method. Papain-extraction yield of 0.7% revealed F I→III by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, with differences among the relative proportions of sulfate (17.37-24.00%), total sugars (30.03-48.34%) and absence of proteins. Charge density patterns and molecular sizes > 100 kDa of the fractions were verified by both agarose/polyacrylamide analyses, respectively. These electrophoreses combined with toluidine blue/Stains-All also indicated nonSPs. Anticoagulant effects of 4.76 (F I), 12.00 (F II) and 2.32 (F II) IU mg-1 by activated partial thromboplastin time test were recorded against heparin (193 IU mg-1), without changes in prothrombin time. Diluted plasma treated with F I and F II reduced concentration-dependent and sulfation pattern TG by both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, with 50% inactivation by intrinsic pathway of F II even at 4.1 µg. Heparin abolished TG at least 4-fold lower. Therefore, C. racemosa produces SPs with TG inhibition.

Eficácia farmacológica de frações (F I→III) polissacarídicas sulfatadas (PSs) da Chlorophyta Caulerpa racemosa sobre modelos de coagulação e inflamação tem sido demonstrada, exceto seus efeitos sobre geração de trombina (GT). Examinaram-se frações quanto à composição, características físico-químicas e inativação in vitro de GT por F I e F II, em plasma humano diluído 60 vezes usando método contínuo. Rendimento de extração-papaína (0,7%) revelou, por cromatografia de DEAE -celulose, F I→III com diferenças entre as proporções relativas de sulfato (17,37-24,00%), açúcares totais (30,03-48,34%) e ausência de proteínas. Foram verificados, por ambas as análises agarose/poliacrilamida, graus de densidade de carga e tamanhos moleculares > 100 kDa das frações, respectivamente. Também essas eletroforeses, combinadas com azul de toluidina/Stains-All, indicaram polissacarídeos não sulfatados. Foram registrados, pelo teste do tempo de tromboplastina parcial ativada, efeitos anticoagulantes de 4,76 (F I), 12,00 (F II) e 2,32 (F II) UI mg-1 contra heparina (193 UI mg- 1), porém não modificando tempo de protrombina. Plasma diluído tratado com F I e F II reduziu GT por ambas as vias intrinsíca/extrínsica, dependente de concentração e grau de sulfatação, com F II em 4,1 µg apresentando eficácia de 50% pela via intrínsica. Heparina, quatro vezes menos, aboliu GT. Portanto, C. racemosa produz PSs com inibição de GT.