Comparison of structures and anticoagulant activities of fucosylated chondroitin sulfates from different sea cucumbers

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (fCSs) were isolated from four sea cucumbers Pearsonothuria graeffei (Indo-Pacific), Stichopus tremulus (Western Indian Ocean), Holothuria vagabunda (Norwegian coast), and Isostichopus badionotus (Western Atlantic). The detailed sequences of fCSs, particularly their fucose branches, were characterized and compared. 1H and 13C NMR of the polysaccharides clearly identified three different sulfation patterns on the branched fucoses, 4-O-mono-, 2,3-O-di- and 2,4-O-di-sulfation, variously distributed in the four fCSs. The chondroitin sulfate backbones were established based on the monosaccharide composition of the polysaccharides and two-dimensional NMR of their oligosaccharide fragments. Anticoagulant activities of the four fCSs were assessed and compared. The results indicated that the difference in their anticoagulant activities can be attributed to the difference in sulfation pattern of the fucose branch of the chondroitin sulfate, and 2,4-O-disulfation is important for anticoagulant activity.