Can we produce heparin/heparan sulfate biomimetics using "mother-nature" as the gold standard?
Heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin are glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that are heterogeneous in nature, not only due to differing disaccharide combinations, but also their sulfate modifications. HS is well known for its interactions with various growth factors and cytokines; and heparin for its clinical use as an anticoagulant. Due to their potential use in tissue regeneration; and the recent adverse events due to contamination of heparin; there is an increased surge to produce these GAGs on a commercial scale. The production of HS from natural sources is limited so strategies are being explored to be biomimetically produced via chemical; chemoenzymatic synthesis methods and through the recombinant expression of proteoglycans. This review details the most recent advances in the field of HS/heparin synthesis for the production of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and as a tool further our understanding of the interactions that occur between GAGs and growth factors and cytokines involved in tissue development and repair.
Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. b.farrugia@unsw.edu.au.
Brooke L
BL
Farrugia
Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. m.lord@unsw.edu.au.
Megan S
MS
Lord
Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. james.melrose@sydney.edu.au.|The Raymond Purves Research Labs, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, The Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia. james.melrose@sydney.edu.au.
James
J
Melrose
Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. j.whitelock@unsw.edu.au.
John M
JM
Whitelock
D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D032701:Biomimetics; D006493:Heparin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin; D006497:Heparan Sulfate