In vitro anti-herpetic activity of sulfated polysaccharide fractions from Caulerpa racemosa

A sulfated polysaccharide fraction was isolated from the hot water extract of the green alga Caulerpa racemosa and designated HWE. This polymer, which contained galactose, glucose, arabinose and xylose as the major component sugars, had [alpha](D)(30) + 46.2 degrees in water and contained 9% sulfate hemiester groups. Sugar linkage analysis indicates that HWE was branched and mainly contained 1,3- and 1,3,6-linked galactose, 1,3,4-linked arabinose, 1,4-linked glucose and terminal- and 1,4-linked xylose residues. Sulfation was deduced from infrared spectroscopy and methylation analysis to occur on O-6 of galactose and O-3 of arabinose. The native polysaccharide could be fractionated by size exclusion chromatography into two overlapping fractions and the major fraction has a hydrodynamic volume similar to that of 70 kDa dextran. HWE was a selective inhibitor of reference strains and TK(-) acyclovir-resistant strains of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in Vero cells, with antiviral effective concentration 50% (EC(50)) values in the range of 2.2-4.2 microg/ml and lacking cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, HWE did not exhibit anticoagulant properties at concentrations near the EC(50).     

Structure and antiviral activity of sulfated fucans from Stoechospermum marginatum

A sulfated fucan containing fraction (SmWE) was isolated from water extract of the brown seaweed Stoechospermum marginatum collected from the Arabian Sea. Anion exchange chromatography of the crude fraction results in the production of a sulfated fucan (F3) having a molecular mass of 40 kDa and specific rotation [alpha]D(30) - 124 degrees (c 0.5, H2O). NMR spectroscopic studies and methylation analysis suggested that the polymer consists of a backbone of (1-->4)- and (1-->3)-linked-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl residues that are substituted at C-2 and C-3, and that fucosyl residues are sulfated mostly at C-2 and/or C-4. SmWE and F3 were selective inhibitors of herpes simplex virus type 1 (strain F, thymidine kinase-deficient strains field and B2006 and syncytial variants arising after selection with a natural carrageenan syn 13-8 and 14-1) and type 2 (strain MS) in Vero cells, with antiviral effective concentration 50% (EC50) values in the range 0.63-10.0 microg/ml. The compounds were highly selective due to the lack of cytotoxicity. The antiviral activity was dependent on the presence of the sulfated fucans during the adsorption period. No direct inactivating effect on virions was observed in a virucidal assay. The absence of anticoagulant activity at concentrations near EC50 confirmed that there was no correlation between the antiviral and anticoagulant properties.     

Galactan sulfate of Grateloupia indica: Isolation, structural features and antiviral activity

Natural compounds offer interesting pharmacological perspectives for antiviral drug development with regard to broad-spectrum antiviral properties and novel modes of action. In this study, we have analyzed polysaccharide fractions isolated from Grateloupia indica. The crude water extract (GiWE) as well as one fraction (F3) obtained by anion exchange chromatography had potent anti-HSV activity. Their inhibitory concentration 50% (IC₅₀) values (0.12-1.06 μg/ml) were much lower than cytotoxic concentration 50% values (>850 μg/ml). These fractions, which were effective antiviral inhibitors if added only during the adsorption period, had very low anticoagulant activity. Furthermore, they had no direct inactivating effect on virions in a virucidal assay. Chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods showed that the active polysaccharide, which has an apparent molecular mass of 60 kDa and negative specific rotation −16° (c 0.2, H₂O), contains α-(1 → 4)- and α-(1 → 3)-linked galactopyranose residues. Sulfate groups, if present, are located mostly at C-2/6 of (1 → 4)- and C-4/6 of (1 → 3)-linked galactopyranosyl units, and are essential for the anti herpetic activity of this polymer.     

Ultrastructure of post-fertilization development in the red alga Scinaia articulata (Galaxauraceae,Nemaliales, Rhodophyta)

The ultrastructure of the carposporophyte and carposporogenesis is described for the red alga Scinaia articulata Setch. After fertilization, the trichogyne disappears, and the pericarp develops to form a thick protective tissue that surrounds the carposporophyte. The hypogynous cell cuts off both one-celled and two-celled sterile branches. Patches of chromatin are frequently observed in evaginations of the nuclear envelope, which appear to produce vesicles in the cytoplasm of the cell of the sterile branch. Large gonimoblast lobes extend from the carpogonium and cleave to form gonimoblast initials. Subsequently, a fusion cell is formed from fusions of the carpogonium, the hypogynous cell and the basal cell of the carpogonial branch. The mature carposporophyte comprises the fusion cell that is connected to the sterile branch cells, gonimoblast cells and carpospores and is surrounded by extensive mucilage. Young carpospores possess a large nucleus and proplastids with a peripheral thylakoid, but they have few dictyosomes and starch granules and are indistinguishable from gonimoblast cells. Subsequently, dictyosomes are formed, which produce vesicles with an electron-dense granule, which indicates an initiation of wall deposition. Thylakoid formation coincides with incipient starch granule deposition. The nuclear envelope produces fibrous vacuoles and concentric membrane bodies. Carpospores are interconnected by pit connections with two cap layers. Dictyosome activity increases, resulting in the production of vesicles, which either continue to deposit wall material or coalesce to form fibrous vacuoles. The final stage of carposporogenesis is characterized by the massive production of cored vesicles from curved dictyosomes. Mature carpospores are uninucleate and contain fully developed chloroplasts, numerous cored vesicles, numerous starch granules and fibrous vacuoles. The mature carpospore is surrounded by a wall layer and a separating layer, but a carposporangial wall is lacking.     

Antiviral activity of Lactobacillus brevis towards herpes simplex virus type 2: role of cell wall associated components

The aim of this research was to study the mechanisms of Lactobacillus brevis antiviral activity towards HSV-2 and to identify the bacterial components responsible for the inhibiting effect. Bacterial extract and cell walls were prepared by lysozyme digestion of L. brevis cells untreated or treated with LiCl to remove S-layer proteins. Bacterial extract and cell wall fragments showed a dose dependent inhibitory effect on HSV-2 multiplication. In order to characterize the inhibitory activity of L. brevis, the bacterial extract was subjected to different physical and chemical treatments. The inhibitory activity was resistant to high temperature and proteases digestion and appeared to be associated with compounds with a molecular weight higher than 10 kDa. DNA, RNA and lipids isolated from bacterial cells were devoid of inhibitory effect. The antiviral activity of both bacterial extract and cell wall fragments obtained from L. brevis cells after the S-layer removal was significantly reduced compared to untreated cells suggesting that the inhibitory activity is likely due to a heat-resistant non-protein cell surface bacterial component.     

The structure of the agaran sulfate from Acanthophora spicifera (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) and its antiviral activity. Relation between structure and antiviral activity in agarans

The sulfated agaran isolated by water extraction from the red seaweed, Acanthophora spicifera (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales), is made up of A-units highly substituted with sulfate groups on C-2 (28-30%), sulfates on C-2 and 4,6-O-(1'-carboxyethylidene) groups (9-15%), and only the C-2 sulfate groups (5-8%) with small amounts of C-6 sulfate, 6-O-methyl, and nonsubstituted residues. B-units are formed mainly by 3,6-anhydro-alpha-L-galactose (15-16%) and its precursor, alpha-L-galactose 6-sulfate (10-17%), together with lesser amounts of 3,6-anhydro-alpha-L-galactose 2-sulfate, alpha-L-galactose 2,6-disulfate, alpha-L-galactose 2,3,6-tri-sulfate, alpha-L-galactose 2,6-disulfate 3-xylose, 2-O-methyl-alpha-L-galactose, and unsubstituted alpha-L-galactose. Small, but significant quantities of beta-D-xylose were found in all the fractions, together with small amounts to traces of D-glucose. Some of the fractions have high antiviral activity. Attempts to correlate structure and antiviral activity in agarans are presented.     

Antiviral isoflavonoid sulfate and steroidal glycosides from the fruits of Solanum torvum

The C-4 sulfated isoflavonoid, torvanol A (1), and the steroidal glycoside, torvoside H (3), together with the known glycoside, torvoside A (2), were isolated from a MeOH extract of Solanum torvum fruits. Upon enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucosidase, torvoside A (2) and torvoside H (3) yielded the corresponding acetal derivatives 4 and 5, respectively. Torvanol A (1), torvoside H (3) and compound 5 exhibited antiviral activity (herpes simplex virus type 1) with IC(50) values of 9.6, 23.2 and 17.4 microg/ml, respectively. Compounds 1-5 showed no cytotoxicity (at 50 microg/ml) against BC, KB and Vero cell lines.     

Anticoagulant activity of a sulfated chitosan

Chitin prepared from the shells of rice-field crabs (Somanniathelphusa dugasti) was converted into chitosan with a degree of acetylation of 0.21 and then sulfated with chlorosulfonic acid in N,N-dimethylformamide under semi-heterogeneous conditions to give 87% of water-soluble sulfated chitosan with degree of substitution (d.s) of 2.13. 1H NMR revealed the sulfate substitution at C-2, C-3 and C-6. Gel filtration on Sepharose CL-6B of the sulfated chitosan gave three fractions with average molecular weights of 7.1, 3.5, and 1.9 x 10(4). The three sulfated chitosan preparations showed strong anticoagulant activities, with the same mechanism of action observed for standard therapeutic heparin.     

Chemical structure and antiviral activity of the sulfated heterorhamnan isolated from the green seaweed Gayralia oxysperma

A homogeneous sulfated heterorhamnan was obtained by aqueous extraction, then by ultrafiltration from the green seaweed Gayralia oxysperma. Besides α-l-rhamnose it contains glucuronic and galacturonic acids, xylose and glucose. The structure was established by methylation analyses of the carboxyl-reduced, carboxyl-reduced/desulfated, carboxyl-reduced/Smith-degraded, and carboxyl-reduced/Smith-degraded/desulfated products and 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopy analyses. The heterorhamnan backbone is constituted by 3- and 2-linked rhamnosyl units (1.00:0.80), the latter being ∼50% substituted at C-3 by side chains containing 2-sulfated glucuronic and galacturonic acids and xylosyl units. The 3- and 2-linked rhamnosyl units are unsulfated (20%), disulfated (16%), and mostly monosulfated at C-2 (27%) and C-4 (37%). The branched and sulfated heterorhamnan had high and specific activity against herpes simplex virus.     

Anticoagulant activity of a sulfated polysaccharide from the green alga Arthrospira platensis

Background

The polysaccharide of culture medium from Arthrospira platensis was extracted by ultrafiltration, partially characterized and assayed for anticoagulant activity.

Methods

The crude polysaccharidic fraction was fractionated by anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, subjected to acetate cellulose electrophoresis and characterized by physicochemical procedures. The anticoagulant effect of the ultrafiltrated polysaccharide was checked by several coagulation tests.

Results

Anion exchange chromatography revealed in the whole ultrafiltrated polysaccharidic fraction the occurrence of a sulfated spirulan-like component designated PUF2. The average molecular weight of PUF2 was determined by size exclusion chromatography combined with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) and viscosimetry and was 199 kDa and the sulfate content was 20% weight/dry weight. The physicochemical characterization indicated the occurrence of rhamnose (49.7%), galacturonic and glucuronic acid (32% of total sugar). The anticoagulant effect of this sulfated polysaccharide was mainly due to the potentiation of thrombin inhibition by heparin cofactor II and was 4-times higher than that of the porcine dermatan sulfate whereas it had no effect on anti-Xa activity.

Conclusions

An ultrafiltrated sulfated polysaccharide, likely a calcium spirulan was obtained from the culture medium of A. platensis and showed an anticoagulant activity mediated by heparin cofactor II.

General significance

Old culture medium of A. platensis may represent an important source for the spirulan-like PUF2 which was endowed with potentially useful anticoagulant properties whereas its obtention by ultrafiltration may represent an extraction procedure of interest.     

The structure of a sulfated galactan from Porphyra haitanensis and its in vivo antioxidant activity

The sulfated galactan fraction F1 isolated from the red seaweed, Porphyra haitanensis, showed typical porphyran structure. It has a linear backbone of alternating 3-linked beta-D-galactosyl units and 4-linked alpha-L-galactosyl 6-sulfate and 3,6-anhydro-alpha-L-galactosyl units. The L-residues are mainly composed of alpha-L-galactosyl 6-sulfate units, and the 3,6-anhydrogalactosyl units are minor. Partial methylation occurred at the C-6 position of the D-galactosyl units and at the C-2 position of the 3,6-anhydro-alpha-L-galactosyl units. Intraperitoneal administration of F1 significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation in aging mice. F1 treatment increased the total antioxidant capacity and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in aging mice. The results indicated that F1 had significant in vivo antioxidant activity.     

Chemical structure and antiviral activity of carrageenans from Meristiella gelidium against herpes simplex and dengue virus

Chemical and spectroscopic methods showed that the major KCl-precipitated galactans from Meristiella gelidium (Solieriaceae) are iota/kappa/nu-hybrid carrageenans with the former one in higher proportion. These carrageenans showed, by HPSEC-MALLS analysis, unimodal symmetrical peaks with MW of 425.6–956.7 kDa. The effectiveness of the crude extracts from M. gelidium against HSV-2 was higher than the corresponding extract from G. griffithsiae, previously determined. However, when considering the homogeneous carrageenans, the fractions obtained from both seaweeds showed the same level of activity. The extracts and carrageenan derived from M. gelidium were more effective inhibitors of DENV-2 if compared with G. griffithsiae samples and reference polysaccharides. The most active fraction obtained from M. gelidium showed a selectivity index against HSV-2 of 25,000, a value high enough to consider this carrageenan as a promising agent to be evaluated for the treatment of genital HSV-2 infections.     

Structural characterization of a polysaccharide and a beta-glucan isolated from the edible mushroom Flammulina velutipes

Two polysaccharides were isolated from the basidiomycete Flammulina velutipes, via successive hot extraction with water, 2% and 25% aq. KOH, and then submitted to freeze-drying. The precipitate formed by repeated freeze-thawing from the 2% aq. KOH extraction PK2 was analyzed by determination of its monosaccharide composition, as well as by methylation analyses using GC-MS, mono- ((13)C, (1)H NMR) and bidimensional ((1)H (obs.), (13)C HMQC) spectroscopy, and controlled Smith degradations. It was established to be a branched beta-glucan, with a main chain of (1-->3)-linked-Glcp residues, substituted at O-6 by single-unit beta-Glcp side chains. The precipitate formed by repeated freeze-thawing from the 25% KOH extraction PK25 contained Xyl, Man, and Glc and was heterogeneous by HSPEC and extraction with DMSO gave a soluble xylomannan (XM). It was homogeneous with a molar mass 30.8 x 10(4)g/mol (dn/dc=0.186). Using the above chemical analyses, it was a xylomannan with Man and Xyl in a 3:2 molar ratio. Its main chain consisted of (1-->3)-linked alpha-Manp units, mainly substituted at O-4 by beta-Xylp units or with some beta-Xylp-(1-->3)-beta-Xylp groups.     

Preparation and anticoagulant activity of a fucosylated polysaccharide sulfate from a sea cucumber Acaudina molpadioidea

A fucosylated polysaccharide sulfate, AMP-2, was purified by DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow and Sephadex G-100 columns in successive steps from a special sea cucumber in southeastern China. HPLC and cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis experiments confirmed AMP-2 was a homogenous carbohydrate with a relative molecular weight of ca. 2.4 × 10⁴ Da, and methylation analysis indicated that polysaccharide was composed of 1-substituted-Galp, 1,4-disubstituted-GalNp, 1,2-disubstituted-FucSp, 1,4,6-trisubstituted-Glcp in a molar ratio of ca. 0.5:2.0:1.0:3.0, together with a small amount of different substituted Manp. Sulfated derivative and carboxymethylated derivative were prepared using dry pyridine and chlorosulfonic acid, and chloroacetic acid, respectively. Anticoagulant activities in vitro investigation showed that sulfated derivative showed a stronger ability than native polysaccharide and carboxymethylated derivative, which might be caused by their different percentages and types of functional groups in their structures.     

Antiviral activity of recombinant cyanovirin-N against HSV-1

In this study, a standard strain of HSV-1 (strain SM₄₄) was used to investigate the antiviral activity of the recombinant Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro and in vivo. Cytopathic effect (CPE) and MTT assays were used to evaluate the effect of CV-N on HSV-1 in Vero cells. The number of copies of HSV-DNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR). The results showed that CV-N had a low cytotoxicity on Vero cells with a CC₅₀ of 359.03±0.56 μg/mL, and that it could not directly inactivate HSV-1 infectivity. CV-N not only reduced the CPE of HSV-1 when added before or after viral infection, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) with 2.26 and 30.16μg/mL respectively, but it also decreased the copies of HSV-1 DNA in infected host cells. The encephalitis model for HSV-1 infection was conducted in Kunming mice, and treated with three dosages of CV-N (0.5, 5 &; 10 mg/kg) which was administered intraperitoneally at 2h, 3d, 5d, 7d post infection. The duration for the appearance of symptoms of encephalitis and the survival days were recorded and brain tissue samples were obtained for pathological examination (HE staining). Compared with the untreated control group, in the 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups, the mice suffered light symptoms and the number of survival days were more than 9d and 14d respectively. HE staining also showed that in 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups, the brain cells did not show visible changes, except for a slight inflammation. Our results demonstrated that CV-N has pronounced antiviral activity against HSV-1 both in vitro and in vivo, and it would be a promising new candidate for anti-HSV therapeutics.     

Antiviral property and mechanisms of a sulphated polysaccharide from the brown alga Sargassum patens against Herpes simplex virus type 1

A sulphated polysaccharide (SP-2a) from the brown alga Sargassum patens (Kütz.) Agardh (Sargassaceae) was found to significantly inhibit the in vitro replication of both the acyclovir (ACV)-sensitive and -resistant strains of Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), in dose-dependent manners, with 50% inhibitions occurring with 1.5–5.3 μg/ml of the polysaccharide. SP-2a exhibited extracellular virucidal activity only against the ACV-sensitive strains, but not the resistant strain, at the concentration of 100 μg/ml. The strongest antiviral activities against the different strains of HSV-1 were observed when this polysaccharide was present during and after adsorption of the virus to host cells. The inhibitory effect of SP-2a on virus adsorption occurred dose-dependently in all the HSV-1 strains tested, and the adsorption of the ACV-resistant DM2.1 strain was reduced by 81.9% (relative to control) with 4 μg/ml of the polysaccharide. This study clearly demonstrated that the antiviral mode of action of SP-2a is mediated mainly by inhibiting virus attachment to host cells, and this sulphated polysaccharide might have different modes of action against the ACV-sensitive and -resistant strains of HSV-1.     

Purification and characterisation of a protease inhibitor from Streptomyces chromofuscus 34-1 with an antiviral activity

The aim of this study was to purify and characterise a novel protease inhibitor (PISC-2002) isolated from culture supernatants of Streptomyces chromofuscus. PISC-2002 was purified by anion-exchange chromatography, and RP-HPLC analysis. PISC-2002 had a molecular mass of 11.2 kDa and a high content of hydrophobic amino acids and proline. N-terminal sequence gave two sequences differing by one residue. The main sequence is ASLPAVSALVLTV and the shorter sequence is SLPAVSALVLTV. This shows its homology to Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor family. Besides its large spectrum of powerful inhibitory activities against various serine proteases, PISC-2002 displayed significant antiviral effect against influenza virus A/Rostock/34 (H7N7).     

Anti-hypoxia activity of a polysaccharide extracted from the Sipunculus nudus L

A water-soluble polysaccharide, named as SNP, was extracted and fractioned from the body wall of Sipunculus nudus L. by DEAE-Sepharose anion exchange and Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. The evaluation for anti-hypoxia activity demonstrated that SNP had significant anti-hypoxic activity on normobarie hypoxia, chemical intoxicant hypoxia and acute cerebral ischemia hypoxia models in mice. SNP also enhanced the number of red blood cell count (RBC) and the concentration of hemoglobin (HGB). The structural characteristics of SNP investigated by high performance size exclusion chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that SNP was a homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular mass of 350 kD and was composed of rhamnose (28%), fucose (16%) and galactose (56%). The results suggested that SNP could be explored as a novel potential anti-hypoxia agent.     

In vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory activity of sulfated polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera

Water-soluble sulfated polysaccharides extracted from Enteromorpha prolifera and fractionated using ion-exchange chromatography (crude, F₁, F₂ and F₃ fractions) were investigated to determine their in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory activities. The sulfated polysaccharides, especially the F₁ and F₂ fractions, stimulated a macrophage cell line, Raw 264.7, inducing considerable nitric oxide (NO) and various cytokine production via up-regulated mRNA expression. The in vivo experiment results show that the sulfated polysaccharides (the crude and F₂ fractions) significantly increased Con A-induced splenocyte proliferation, revealing their potential comitogenic activity. In addition, IFN-γ and IL-2 secretions were considerably increased by the F₂ fraction without altering the release of IL-4 and IL-5. This implies that the F₂ fraction can activate T cells by up-regulating Th-1 response and that Th-1 cells might be the main target cells of the F₂ fraction. These in vitro and in vivo results suggest that the sulfated polysaccharides are strong immunostimulators.     

Current status of natural products from plants as anti-herpes simplex virus 1 agents

Nucleoside analogues have been the mainstay of clinical treatment of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infections since their development. However, the emergence of drug resistant strains has underlined the urgency of the discovery of novel anti-HSV-1 drugs. Natural products, which provided many novel drug leads, are known to be an important source of anti-HSV-1 agents. Herein, we present an overview of natural products with anti-HSV-1 activities isolated from a variety of plants reported in recent years. Several different compounds, mainly belonging to the three groups of polysaccharides, polyphenols and terpenes, showed antiviral effects against HSV-1, indicating their potential to be promising anti-HSV-1 agents.