A highly regular fucan sulfate from the sea cucumber Stichopus horrens

A highly regular fucan sulfate SHFS was isolated from the sea cucumber Stichopus horrens by extraction of the body walls in the presence of papain followed by ion-exchange and gel permeation chromatography. SHFS had MW of about 140 kDa and contained fucose and sulfate in the molar ratio of about 1:1. Chemical and NMR spectroscopic methods were applied for the structural characterization of the polysaccharide. SHFS was shown to have linear molecules built up of 3-linked α-l-fucopyranose 2-sulfate residues. Anticoagulant properties of SHFS were assessed in vitro in comparison with the LMW heparin (enoxaparin) and totally sulfated 3-linked α-l-fucan. SHFS was found to have the lowest activity, and hence, both sulfate groups at O-2 and O-4 of fucosyl units seem to be important for anticoagulant effect of sulfated homo-(1 → 3)-α-l-fucans.