title: Holothurian fucosylated chondroitin sulfate.
abstract: Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FucCS) is a structurally distinct glycosaminoglycan found in sea cucumber species. It has the same backbone composition of alternating 4-linked glucuronic acid and 3-linked N-acetyl galactosamine residues within disaccharide repeating units as regularly found in mammalian chondroitin sulfates. However, FucCS has also sulfated fucosyl branching units 3-O-linked to the acid residues. The sulfation patterns of these branches vary accordingly with holothurian species and account for different biological actions and responses. FucCSs may exhibit anticoagulant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and pro-angiogenic activities, besides its beneficial effects in hemodialysis, cellular growth modulation, fibrosis and hyperglycemia. Through an historical overview, this document covers most of the science regarding the holothurian FucCS. Both structural and medical properties of this unique GAG, investigated during the last 25 years, are systematically discussed herein.
authors.affiliation: Program of Glycobiology, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, and University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-913, Brazil. pominvh@bioqmed.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Vitor H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Pomin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D012616:Sea Cucumbers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C517150:fucosylated chondroitin sulfate; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates