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M Petitou

Publications and source records attributed to M Petitou.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Conformer populations of L-iduronic acid residues in glycosaminoglycan sequences.

The 1H-n.m.r. 3J values for the L-iduronic acid (IdoA) residues for solutions in D2O of natural and synthetic oligosaccharides that represent the biologically important sequences of dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, and heparin have been rationalized by force-field calculations. The relative proportions of the low-energy conformers 1C4, 2S0, and 4C1 vary widely as a function of sequence and of pattern of sulfation. When IdoA or IdoA-2-sulfate units are present inside saccharide sequences, only 1C4 and 2S0 conformations contribute significantly to the equilibrium. This equilibrium is displaced towards the 2S0 form when IdoA-2-sulfate is preceded by a 3-O-sulfated amino sugar residue, and towards the 1C4 form when it is a non-reducing terminal. For terminal non-sulfated IdoA, the 4C1 form also contributes to the equilibrium. N.O.e. data confirm these conclusions. Possible biological implications of the conformational flexibility and the counter-ion induced changes in conformer populations are discussed.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗
PubMed1990

Conformation of the pentasaccharide corresponding to the binding site of heparin for antithrombin III.

The conformation in solution of the pentasaccharide methyl glycoside (As-G-A*-Is-AM; 1), which represents the binding site of heparin for Antithrombin III, has been investigated using molecular mechanics and 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The pentasaccharide has a rather rigid (As-G-A*) and a more flexible (Is-AM) region. A simplified model of 1, comprising two conformations, corresponding to the 1C4 and the 2S0 forms of the iduronate residue, and modified at the G-A* glycosidic linkage with respect to the energy minimum, reproduces most of the observed 3J values and n.O.e. enhancements. The possible role in the binding to Antithrombin III of a low-energy conformer, not observed in solution, is discussed.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMed1990

Leishmania donovani: cell-surface heparin receptors of promastigotes are recruited from an internal pool after trypsinization.

With the use of [3H]heparin, we recently demonstrated that Leishmania donovani promastigotes express a cell-surface receptor that is specific for the glycosaminoglycan heparin (Mukhopadhyay et al. 1989, The Biochemical Journal, 264, 517-525.). Treatment of the parasite with trypsin abolishes 75-90% of this [3H]heparin-binding activity. When trypsinized promastigotes were resuspended in fresh culture medium in the absence and presence of cycloheximide (10 micrograms/ml), approximately 25-30% of the original heparin-binding capacity was restored within 1 hr, indicating that recruitment of receptors from an internal pool occurred without de novo protein synthesis. Scatchard analysis of the regenerated receptor revealed that the number of regenerated binding sites per cell was 2.3 x 10(5); these sites have a binding affinity of 6.7 x 10(-7) M. Like the native heparin receptors on the surface of freshly isolated cells, the receptors recruited after trypsinization are also highly specific for heparin, as a 25-fold excess of four other glycosaminoglycans displaced less than 10% of bound [3H]heparin from the trypsinized cells. The structural requirements of the ligand heparin, namely the number of monosaccharide units and degree of sulfation, were compared for both the native and regenerated receptor: for both receptors, oversulfated polysaccharide heparin fragments of at least six to eight sugar residues were most efficient at displacing [3H]heparin. The concentrations of oligosaccharide fragments required to displace 50% of [3H]heparin were 0.32 and 0.035 microM for the hexa- and octasaccharides, respectively. Colloidal gold-labeled heparin was bound to promastigotes and visualized by electron microscopy. This analysis revealed that the heparin bound almost exclusively to the flagella of control cells (not subjected to trypsin) and those which had regenerated receptor after trypsinization. The physiological significance of this heparin-binding activity on the surface of promastigotes is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Antithrombin III: structural and functional aspects.

Antithrombin III is a plasma glycoprotein responsible for thrombin inhibition in the blood coagulation cascade. The X-ray structure of its cleaved form has been determined and refined to 3.2 A resolution. The overall topology is similar to that of alpha 1-antitrypsin, another member of the serpin (serine protease inhibitor) superfamily. The biological activity of antithrombin III is mediated by a polysaccharide, heparin. The binding site of this effector is described. A possible structural transition from the native to the cleaved structure is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Pharmacologic properties of a low molecular weight dermatan sulfate: comparison with unfractionated dermatan sulfate.

The anticoagulant, pharmacodynamic, and antithrombotic properties of a low molecular weight dermatan sulfate (molecular weight range 1600 to 8000, peak 4000) were compared with those of unfractionated dermatan sulfate (molecular weight range 12,000 to 45,000, peak 25,000). Anticoagulant activities were evaluated as the ability of the compounds to catalyze the inhibition of thrombin in the presence of heparin cofactor II in a purified system and to prolong the activated partial thromboplastin time or the thrombin clotting time of human and rabbit plasmas. On the basis of weight, low molecular weight dermatan sulfate was two times less potent than unfractionated dermatan sulfate. After bolus intravenous injection into rabbits, the volume of distribution of low molecular weight dermatan sulfate was 10 times larger than that of unfractionated compound, and the half-life of disappearance was two to four times longer despite a 1.4 to 2.3 times higher total clearance. The bioavailability of low molecular weight dermatan sulfate from its subcutaneous depot was 100%; it was absorbed faster from that depot than unfractionated dermatan sulfate. The antithrombotic activities of unfractionated and of low molecular weight dermatan sulfate were also examined with a Wessler-type model with tissue factor as the thrombogenic stimulus. When evaluated 3 minutes after a bolus intravenous injection, unfractionated dermatan sulfate was twice as active as low molecular weight dermatan sulfate on the basis of weight. With subcutaneous injection, 10 mg/kg of low molecular weight dermatan sulfate generated an activity in plasma equivalent to 5.6 micrograms/ml 1 hour later. This concentration was associated with a significant antithrombotic effect that lasted for less than 6 hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Synthesis of disaccharide fragments of dermatan sulfate.

Condensation of crystalline methyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside with methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-idopyranosyl bromide)uronate in dichloromethane, in the presence of silver triflate and molecular sieve, provided 54% of methyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-(methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-idopyranosyluronate)-beta-D-galactopyranoside . The use of methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-idopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate)uronate as glycosyl donor, in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate, improved the yield to 68%. Regioselective opening of the benzylidene group with sodium cyanoborohydride followed successively by O-sulfation with the sulfur trioxide-trimethylamine complex, saponification, catalytic hydrogenolysis and selective N-acetylation gave the disodium salt of methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-idopyranosyluronic acid)-4-O-sulfo-beta-D-galactopyranoside. Condensation of methyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside with methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide)uronate in dichloromethane, in the presence of silver triflate and molecular sieve, gave methyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-(methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-beta-D-galactopryano side in 85% yield. The sequence already described then gave the disodium salt of methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-4-O-sulfo-beta-D-galactopyranoside.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Structural determinants of heparin's growth inhibitory activity. Interdependence of oligosaccharide size and charge.

The glycosaminoglycan heparin inhibits the growth of several cell types in vitro including smooth muscle cells and rat cervical epithelial cells. The commercially available heparin which has antiproliferative activity is a structurally heterogeneous polymer that undergoes extensive modifications during maturation. In this report we have performed structure-function studies on heparin's antiproliferative activity using three different cell types: both rat and calf vascular aortic smooth muscle cells and rat cervical epithelial cells. The minimal oligosaccharide size requirements for antiproliferative activity were determined for the three cell types by using oligosaccharide fragments of defined length prepared by nitrous acid cleavage and gel filtration and a synthetic pentasaccharide. The size requirements are similar but not identical for the different cell types. Hexasaccharide fragments are antiproliferative for all three cell types but the synthetic pentasaccharide inhibits the growth of only the rat and calf vascular aortic smooth muscle cells. The interdependence between size and charge for antiproliferative activity was investigated using chemically modified oligosaccharides as well as oligosaccharides prepared from heparin and separated into fractions of differing charge by ion-exchange chromatography. There is a strong interdependence between size and charge for antiproliferative activity. For example, increasing the charge of inactive tetrasaccharide fragments by O-oversulfation makes them antiproliferative whereas reducing the charge of active larger fragments causes them to loose their antiproliferative activity. Finally the importance of 2-O-sulfate glucuronic acid moieties for antiproliferative activity was investigated using heparin preparations that lack 2-O-sulfate glucuronic acid. These compounds possess antiproliferative activity indicating that 2-O-sulfate glucuronic acid is not required for antiproliferative activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Heparin-derived oligosaccharides: affinity for acidic fibroblast growth factor and effect on its growth-promoting activity for human endothelial cells.

The minimal structural requirements for the interaction of heparin with acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) were investigated. Oligosaccharides (tetra- to decasaccharides) obtained by nitrous acid depolymerisation of standard heparin were separated by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-immobilised aFGF. The shortest fragment retained by the affinity column at 0.2 M NaCl and eluted at 1 M NaCl was a "regular" hexasaccharide, a trimer of the most abundant disaccharide sequence in heparin. More complex octa- and decasaccharides were also retained by the column. The oligosaccharides eluted by 1 M NaCl from the affinity column ("high-affinity" oligosaccharides) and those washed from the column at 0.2 M NaCl ("low-affinity" oligosaccharides) were compared for their capacity to protect aFGF from proteolysis and to potentiate its mitogenic activity. At a low ionic strength, all oligosaccharides tested, except the "regular" disaccharide, protected aFGF against trypsin and collagenase digestion. At higher ionic strength (greater than 0.2 M NaCl), only high-affinity oligosaccharides showed a protective effect. The high-affinity oligosaccharides (hexa- to decasaccharides) potentiated the mitogenic activity of aFGF, as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA of human fibroblasts. The effect of the oligosaccharides on human endothelial cell proliferation was more complex: inhibition of proliferation was observed in the presence of serum and low concentrations of aFGF (1-5 ng/ml) and potentiation in the presence of higher concentrations of aFGF. The potentiating effect increased as a function of molecular size of the heparin fragments and, for a given size, as a function of the anionic charge of the oligosaccharide. Our results suggest that inhibition of cell proliferation by heparin may result from interference with an autocrine basic FGF-like activity.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1989

Pharmacological properties of dermatan sulfate, of a low molecular weight dermatan sulfate and of two oversulfated derivatives.

The pharmacological properties of unfractionated dermatan sulfate (U-DS, mean MW 25 kd, range 12-45 kd) of a low molecular weight fraction (LMW-DS, mean MW 4 kd range 1.6-8 kd), and of 2 oversulfated derivatives (S-DS1 and S-DS2, 2 and 3.8 sulfate groups per disaccharide units) were investigated. In a purified system, LMW-DS, S-DS1 and S-DS2 were respectively 0.5, 10 and 17 times more potent than U-DS to catalyse thrombin inhibition by heparin cofactor II. Identical differences were observed for the respective anticoagulant activities (activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin clotting time). After bolus IV injection of increasing doses the pharmacokinetic parameters of U-DS were slightly dose dependent, and the total clearance of LMW-DS was, on the average, 2 times higher. The patterns of disappearance of S-DS1 and S-DS2 were strongly dose dependent and became concave-convex, suggesting different mechanisms of clearance. After SC injection, the bioavailability was less than 50% for U-DS and at least 100% for LMW-DS. The antithrombotic activity (Wessler-thromboplastin model) of LMW-DS was 2 timer lower than that of U-DS. In contrast to their in vitro (and ex vivo) enhanced anticoagulant activities, the antithrombotic potency of S-DS1 was identical to that of U-DS, while, at the same doses S-DS2 was devoid of any activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Importance of a 3-O-sulfate group in a heparin pentasaccharide for antithrombotic activity.

Previous theoretical and experimental evidence led to the formulation of a specific pentasaccharide structure which represents the site in heparin for binding to antithrombin III. This pentasaccharide was subsequently synthesized. A pentasaccharide of the same structure but lacking only the sulfate group on the hydroxyl group of the middle glucosamine (position C-3) was also synthesized to test the structure - activity relationships. Previous biochemical studies showed the 3-O-desulfated pentasaccharide to have a low affinity binding to AT III and to be devoid of the high anti-factor Xa activity characteristic of the pentasaccharide. Our in vivo studies, in a venous stasis thrombosis model proved the 3-O-desulfated pentasaccharide, at equigravimetric dosages, to be devoid of the antithrombotic activity previously reported for the pentasaccharide. These studies confirm the fact that inhibition of factor Xa at a high level of activity produces an antithrombotic effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Further studies on the mechanisms for the antithrombotic effects of sulfated polysaccharides in rabbits.

A recent study (Fernandez et al., Thromb. Haemostas. 1987; 57: 286-93) demonstrated that when rabbits were injected with the minimum weight of a variety of glycosaminoglycans required to inhibit tissue factor-induced thrombus formation by approximately 80%, exogenous thrombin was inactivated approximately twice as fast in the post-treatment plasmas as the pre-treatment plasmas. In this study, we investigated the relationship between inhibition of thrombus formation and the extent of thrombin inhibition ex vivo. We also investigated the relationship between inhibition of thrombus formation and inhibition of prothrombin activation ex vivo. Four sulfated polysaccharides (SPS) which influence coagulation in a variety of ways were used in this study. Unfractionated heparin and the fraction of heparin with high affinity to antithrombin III potentiate the antiproteinase activity of antithrombin III. Pentosan polysulfate potentiates the activity of heparin cofactor II. At less than 10 micrograms/ml of plasma, all three SPS also inhibit intrinsic prothrombin activation. The fourth agent, dermatan sulfate, potentiates the activity of heparin cofactor II but fails to inhibit intrinsic prothrombin activation even at concentrations which exceed 60 micrograms/ml of plasma. Inhibition of thrombus formation by each sulfated polysaccharides was linearly related to the extent of thrombin inhibition achieved ex vivo. These observations confirm the utility of catalysis of thrombin inhibition as an index for assessing antithrombotic potential of glycosaminoglycans and other sulfated polysaccharides in rabbits. With the exception of pentosan polysulfate, there was no clear relationship between inhibition of thrombus formation and inhibition of prothrombin activation ex vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Biosynthesis of heparin. O-sulfation of the antithrombin-binding region.

The antithrombin-binding region in heparin is a pentasaccharide sequence with the predominant structure GlcNAc(6-OSO3)-GlcA-GlcNSO3(3,6-di-OSO3)-IdoA -(2-OSO3)-GlcNSO3(6-OSO3) (where GlcA and IdoA represent D-glucuronic and L-iduronic acid, respectively), in which the 3-O-sulfate residue on the internal glucosaminyl unit is a marker group for this particular region of the polysaccharide molecule. A heparin octasaccharide which contained the above pentasaccharide sequence was N/O-desulfated and re-N-sulfated and was then incubated with adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phospho[35S]sulfate in the presence of a microsomal fraction from mouse mastocytoma tissue. Fractionation of the resulting 35S-labeled octasaccharide on antithrombin-Sepharose yielded a high affinity fraction that accounted for approximately 2% of the total incorporated label. Structural analysis of this fraction indicated that the internal glucosamine unit of the pentasaccharide sequence was 3-O-35S-sulfated, whereas both adjacent glucosamine units carried 6-O-[35S]sulfate groups. In contrast, the fractions with low affinity for antithrombin (approximately 98% of incorporated 35S) showed no consistent O-35S sulfation pattern and essentially lacked glucosaminyl 3-O-[35S]sulfate groups. It is suggested that the 3-O-sulfation reaction concludes the formation of the antithrombin-binding region. This proposal was corroborated in a similar experiment using a synthetic pentasaccharide with the structure GlcNSO3(6-OSO3)-GlcA-GlcNSO3(6-OSO3)-Id oA (2-OSO3)-GlcNSO3(6-OSO3) as sulfate acceptor. This molecule corresponds to a functional antithrombin-binding region but for the lack of a 3-O-sulfate group at the internal glucosamine unit. The 35S-labeled pentasaccharide recovered after incubation bound with high affinity to antithrombin-Sepharose and contained a 3-O-[35S]sulfate group at the internal glucosamine residue as the only detectable labeled component. The use of this pentasaccharide substrate along with the affinity matrix provides a highly specific assay for the 3-O-sulfotransferase.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effects of increased sulfation of dermatan sulfate on its in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties.

The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of two oversulfated dermatan sulfate (DS) derivatives, S-DS1 and S-DS2, containing 2 and 3.7 sulfate groups/disaccharide unit respectively were compared to those of the parent DS (1 sulfate group/disaccharide unit). In a purified system the ability of S-DS1 and of S-DS2 to catalyse thrombin inhibition by heparin cofactor II was increased by ten- and seventeen-fold respectively. These compounds also had more potent anticoagulant activities in the activated partial thromboplastin time and the thrombin clotting time assays. Plasma immunodepleted in antithrombin III, heparin cofactor II and both cofactors allowed it to be demonstrated that these enhanced anti-coagulant activities were partly (S-DS1) or totally (S-SD2) independent of any plasma cofactors. In spite of these enhanced anticoagulant activities in vitro the oversulfated derivatives did not exhibit an increased antithrombotic activity in a thromboplastin Wessler type model. Moreover, at the doses investigated, S-DS2 had no antithrombotic effect. The influence of oversulfation on the pharmacokinetic pattern of DS was also investigated. As reported for unfractionated heparin, the biological activities generated after IV injection of high doses of S-DS1 and S-DS2 disappeared according to a concave-convex pattern. This may result from the higher affinities of S-DS1 and of S-DS2 toward endothelial cells in comparison with that of DS.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Interaction of heparin and antithrombin III. The role of O-sulfate groups.

A synthetic pentasaccharide corresponding to the sequence involved in heparin for binding and activation of antithrombin III contains eight sulfate groups. The role of some of them in the interaction with the protein has been demonstrated through the study of fragments obtained from heparin. An approach based on the total chemical synthesis of heparin fragments allows us to provide new information on the O-sulfate groups borne by the iduronic acid and the glucosamine units that constitute the reducing-end disaccharide of the above pentasaccharide sequence. Although not strictly necessary for a weak interaction to take place, these two sulfates co-operate to express maximal activity. This suggests that they belong to a secondary sub-region of interaction with antithrombin III, the primary one being accounted for by other critical parts of the structure and particularly the trisaccharide sequence placed at the non-reducing end of the pentasaccharide.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMed1988

Binding of heparin to antithrombin III: a chemical proof of the critical role played by a 3-sulfated 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose residue.

Known methyl (prop-1-enyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosid)uronate was first converted into methyl (prop-1-enyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O-levulinyl-alpha-D-gluco-pyranosid)uro nat e. Acid hydrolysis, followed by treatment with (bromomethylene)-dimethylammonium bromide, gave methyl (2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O-levulinyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide)uronate. Condensation of this bromide with 1,6-anhydro-2-azido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose gave 1,6-anhydro-2-azido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O- levulinyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-beta-D-glucopyranose. Acetolysis, followed by selective anomeric O-deacetylation and treatment with (bromomethylene)dimethylammonium bromide then gave 6-O-acetyl-2-azido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O-levulinyl -beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide. Condensation of this bromide with benzyl 6-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-2-benzyloxycarbonylamino-2-deoxy-4- O-(methyl 2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-alpha-L-idopyranosyluronate)-alpha-D- glucopyranoside provided benzyl O-(methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O-levulinyl-beta-D- glucopyranosyluronate)-(1----4)-O-(6-O-acetyl-2-azido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy - alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)- (1----4)-O-(methyl 2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-alpha-L-idopyranosyluronate)-(1----4)- 6-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-2-benzyloxycarbonylamino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glu copyranoside. Removal of the levulinyl group followed by condensation with 6-O-acetyl-2-azido-3,4-di-O -benzyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide provided benzyl O-(6-O-acetyl-2- azido-3,4-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-(methyl 2,3-di- O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-(1----4)-O-(6-O-acetyl-2-azido-3- O- benzyl-2- deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-(methyl 2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-alpha-L- idopyranosyluronate)-(1----4)-6-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-2-benzyloxycarbon ylamino-2- deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside in 78% yield. O-Deacetylation followed by re-esterification, O-sulfation, catalytic hydrogenolysis, saponification, and N-sulfation gave the non-sodium salt of O-(2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-2-sulfoamino-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1----4) -O- (beta-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-(1----4)O-(2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-2-sulfoamino- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-(2-O-sulfo-alpha-L-idopyranosyluronic acid)- (1----4)-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-2-sulfoamino-D-glucopyranose. This synthetic pentasaccharide neither binds to antithrombin III nor induces anti-factor Xa activity.

Alcohols↗
PubMed1988

Studies on the structural requirements of heparin for the catalysis of thrombin inhibition by heparin cofactor II.

The structural requirements of heparin for the catalysis of thrombin inhibition by heparin cofactor II (HC II) were investigated. A series of well characterized heparin derivatives were prepared and their activities were measured using human thrombin in the presence of an excess of purified human HC II and, for comparison, antithrombin III (AT III). The 50% inhibitory concentrations of each derivative were calculated and compared with those of unmodified heparin. Heparin activity was strongly dependent on molecular weight (Mr) in a manner grossly comparable for the two inhibitors. High-Mr fractions were the most active. Below 10 kDa, the activity dropped rapidly. A minimum size of 26 residues appeared to be required for HC II activation (against 16-18 for AT III). Below 5 kDa, a residual activity two orders of magnitude lower than that of high-Mr species remained with HC II (but not with AT III). Heparin was selectively desulfated or oversulfated in the O- and/or N-position. When an N-acetyl group was substituted for the original N-sulfate in the glucosamine and the derivative was oversulfated in the O-position, a strong activity with HC activities with both inhibitors decreased when the overall sulfate content (i.e., the charge density) was reduced, and vice-versa. Carboxyl-reduced heparin was also inactive but activity could be restored after O-sulfation. Our results thus suggest that, unlike the case of AT III, no functional group in heparin is critical for optimal thrombin inhibition by HC II. Sulfate and carboxylate are important in as much as they contribute to the global charge of the molecule.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMed1988

The inhibition of the generation of thrombin and the antithrombotic effect of a pentasaccharide with sole anti-factor Xa activity.

A chemically synthesized heparin pentasaccharide (Institut Choay, Paris, France) has been shown to exhibit an antithrombotic action in a rabbit stasis induced thrombosis model, in an IV dose range of 25 to 200 micrograms/kg (0.5 to 3.5 micrograms/ml plasma circulating concentrations). Ex vivo plasma analysis from treated animals revealed expected anti-factor Xa activity but no direct inhibitory effect against thrombin. Global anticoagulant activities were not found by PT and APTT methods. Platelet activation remained unaffected at the antithrombotic dosages of pentasaccharide. To more specifically elucidate the anti-factor Xa mediated antithrombotic mechanism of action of this pentasaccharide, it was studied in several thrombin generation assays. Pentasaccharide added to human and rabbit plasmas in vitro from 0 to 5.0 micrograms/ml produced a concentration dependent effect up to a 35 to 50% inhibition of generated thrombin. In ex vivo studies similar concentration dependent inhibition of thrombin generation was observed. Analysis of plasma obtained from animals in which a complete antithrombotic effect was observed in vivo demonstrated an approximate 45 to 55% inhibition of thrombin generation. These results indicate that a relationship exists between the pentasaccharide induced inhibition of experimental venous stasis thrombosis and the inhibition of thrombin generation.

Animals↗