New synthetic heparin mimetics able to inhibit thrombin and factor Xa

Switching mechanism from AR to EGFR signaling via 3-O-sulfated heparan sulfate in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Androgen deprivation therapy is given to suppress prostate cancer growth; however, some cells continue to grow hormone-independently as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Sulfated glycosaminoglycans promote ligand binding to receptors as co-receptors, but their role in CRPC remains unknown. Using the human prostate cancer cell line C4-2, which can proliferate in hormone-dependent and hormone-independent conditions, we found that epidermal growth factor (EGF)-activated EGFR-ERK1/2 signaling via 3-O-sulfated heparan sulfate (HS) produced by HS 3-O-sulfotransferase 1 (HS3ST1) is activated in C4-2 cells under hormone depletion. Knockdown of HS3ST1 in C4-2 cells suppressed hormone-independent growth, and inhibited both EGF binding to the cell surface and activation of EGFR-ERK1/2 signaling. Gefitinib, an EGFR inhibitor, significantly suppressed C4-2 cell proliferation and growth of a xenografted C4-2 tumor in castrated mouse. Collectively, our study has revealed a mechanism by which cancer cells switch to hormone-independent growth and identified the key regulator as 3-O-sulfated HS.

Progress and challenges in the synthesis of sequence controlled polysaccharides

The sequence, length and substitution of a polysaccharide influence its physical and biological properties. Thus, sequence controlled polysaccharides are important targets to establish structure-properties correlations. Polymerization techniques and enzymatic methods have been optimized to obtain samples with well-defined substitution patterns and narrow molecular weight distribution. Chemical synthesis has granted access to polysaccharides with full control over the length. Here, we review the progress towards the synthesis of well-defined polysaccharides. For each class of polysaccharides, we discuss the available synthetic approaches and their current limitations.

Biological strategies for oligo/polysaccharide synthesis: biocatalyst and microbial cell factory

Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides constitute the principal components of carbohydrates, which are important biomacromolecules that demonstrate considerable bioactivities. However, the variety and structural complexity of oligo/polysaccharides represent a major challenge for biological and structural explorations. To access structurally defined oligo/polysaccharides, biological strategies using glycoenzyme biocatalysts have shown remarkable synthetic potential attributed to their regioselectivity and stereoselectivity that allow mild, structurally controlled reaction without addition of protecting groups necessary in chemical strategies. This review summarizes recent biotechnological approaches of oligo/polysaccharide synthesis, which mainly includes in vitro enzymatic synthesis and cell factory synthesis. We have discussed the important factors involved in the production of nucleotide sugars. Furthermore, the strategies established in the cell factory and enzymatic syntheses are summarized, and we have highlighted concepts like metabolic flux rebuilding and regulation, enzyme engineering, and route design as important strategies. The research challenges and prospects are also outlined and discussed.

Well-Defined Oligo- and Polysaccharides as Ideal Probes for Structural Studies

Polysaccharides are the most abundant organic materials in nature, yet correlations between their three-dimensional structure and macroscopic properties have not been established. Automated glycan assembly enables the preparation of well-defined oligo- and polysaccharides resembling natural as well as unnatural structures. These synthetic glycans are ideal probes for the fundamental study of polysaccharides. According to molecular modeling simulations and NMR analysis, different classes of polysaccharides adopt fundamentally different conformations that are drastically altered by single-site substitutions. Larger synthetic polysaccharides are obtained via a "LEGO"-like approach as a first step toward the production of tailor-made carbohydrate-based materials.

Pushing the limits of automated glycan assembly: synthesis of a 50mer polymannoside

A 102 step automated synthesis produces a 50mer glycan and provides a basis for investigations into carbohydrate materials.

Heparin binding preference and structures in the fibroblast growth factor family parallel their evolutionary diversification

The interaction of a large number of extracellular proteins with heparan sulfate (HS) regulates their transport and effector functions, but the degree of molecular specificity underlying protein–polysaccharide binding is still debated. The 15 paracrine fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are one of the paradigms for this interaction. Here, we measure the binding preferences of six FGFs (FGF3, FGF4, FGF6, FGF10, FGF17, FGF20) for a library of modified heparins, representing structures in HS, and model glycosaminoglycans, using differential scanning fluorimetry. This is complemented by the identification of the lysine residues in the primary and secondary binding sites of the FGFs by a selective labelling approach. Pooling these data with previous sets provides good coverage of the FGF phylogenetic tree, deduced from amino acid sequence alignment. This demonstrates that the selectivity of the FGFs for binding structures in sulfated polysaccharides and the pattern of secondary binding sites on the surface of FGFs follow the phylogenetic relationship of the FGFs, and so are likely to be the result of the natural selection pressures that led to the expansion of the FGF family in the course of the evolution of more complex animal body plans.

5-Chlorothiophene-2-carboxylic acid [(S)-2-[2-methyl-3-(2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonylamino]-3-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-3-oxopropyl]amide (SAR107375), a selective and potent orally active dual thrombin and factor Xa inhibitor

Compound 15 (SAR107375), a novel potent dual thrombin and factor Xa inhibitor resulted from a rational optimization process. Starting from compound 14, with low factor Xa and modest anti-thrombin inhibitory activities (IC50's of 3.5 and 0.39 μM, respectively), both activities were considerably improved, notably through the incorporation of a neutral chlorothiophene P1 fragment and tuning of P2 and P3-P4 fragments. Final optimization of metabolic stability with microsomes led to the identification of 15, which displays strong activity in vitro vs factor Xa and thrombin (with Ki's of 1 and 8 nM, respectively). In addition 15 presents good selectivity versus related serine proteases (roughly 300-fold), including trypsin (1000-fold), and is very active (0.39 μM) in the thrombin generation time (TGT) coagulation assay in human platelet rich plasma (PRP). Potent in vivo activity in a rat model of venous thrombosis following iv and, more importantly, po administration was also observed (ED50 of 0.07 and 2.8 mg/kg, respectively). Bleeding liability was reduced in the rat wire coil model, more relevant to arterial thrombosis, with 15 (blood loss increase of 2-fold relative to the ED80 value) compared to rivaroxaban 2 and dabigatran etexilate 1a.

Heparan sulfate separation, sequencing, and isomeric differentiation: ion mobility spectrometry reveals specific iduronic and glucuronic acid-containing hexasaccharides

We describe the resolution of heparan sulfate (HS) isomers by chromatographic methods and their subsequent differentiation by mass spectrometry (MS), ion mobility, and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The two purified hexasaccharide isomers produced nearly identical MS spectra, quantitative disaccharide profiles, and partial enzymatic digestions. However, both tandem spectrometry (MS(2)) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) indicated structural differences existed. All data suggested the distinction between the two hexasaccharides resided in their uronic acid stereochemistries. Glucuronic (GlcA) and iduronic acids (IdoA) were subsequently defined by (1)H NMR analysis completing the structural analysis and verifying the unique structures initially indicated by MS(2) and IMS. Our results suggest that IMS may be a powerful tool in the rapid differentiation of GlcA and IdoA containing isomers in the absence of prior structural knowledge.

Linear diffusion of thrombin and factor Xa along the heparin molecule explains the effects of extended heparin chain lengths

QUESTION

How does the size of the heparin moiety in the anti-thrombin (AT)-heparin complex influence its anticoagulant properties?

APPROACH

Of 52 heparin fractions of precise Mr between 2800 and 37,000 we determined the dissociation constant (Kd) of the binding of the enzyme to the AT-heparin complex and the decay constant (kdec) of thrombin and factor Xa at 1 microM of that complex.

RESULTS

The Kd of thrombin or factor Xa is constant when expressed in terms of the concentration of sugar units, i.e. the enzymes bind the better the longer the heparin. Thrombin (Kd=1.86+/-0.13 microM) binds 11 times tighter than factor Xa (Kd=20.2 +/-1.5 microM). Factor Xa inactivation velocity is proportional to the concentration of pentasaccharide-bound AT if Mr<10,000 but decreases at higher Mr. Thrombin inactivation is constant per pentasaccharide with twelve adjacent monosaccharides (C-domain).

CONCLUSION

The data fit a model in which thrombin and factor Xa bind at a random site on the heparin chain and, via one-dimensional diffusion, reach the AT that is bound to its specific binding site on the heparin. Factor Xa, but not thrombin, can dissociate from heparin before reaching bound AT.

Fixed dosage of low-molecular-weight heparins causes large individual variation in coagulability, only partly correlated to body weight

BACKGROUND

Low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) are routinely given without the control of their effect on coagulation. The endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) is a sensitive detector of the heparin effect.

QUESTION

What is the interindividual variation in TG after a fixed dose of LMWH in normal volunteers, is it explained by variation in weight?

METHODS

Subcutaneous (s.c.) injection, in 12 healthy volunteers, of 9000 aXa-units of unfractionated heparin (UFH) and of three heparins with narrow MW distribution around 10.5, 6.0 and 4.5 kD. Measurement of anti-thrombin (aIIa) and antifactor Xa (aXa)-activities and ETP at 11 time points over 24 h.

RESULTS

The coefficient of variation (CV) of the AUCs of aXa- and aIIa-activities is 50% for UFH and 22-37% for LMWHs. Because of the hyperbolic form of the dose-response curve, the CV of the inhibition of the ETP is lower: 32% for UFH and 13-21% for the LMWHs. Fixed dosage of LMWH caused under-dosage in 10-13% of the samples and over-dosage in 5-11%. High or low response is an individual property independent of the type of heparin injected and only partially explained by variation in body weight.

CONCLUSION

Optimized individual dosage of LMWH is possible through recognition of high and low responders, which requires one measurement of the heparin concentration or, preferably, the heparin effect on the ETP, 2-5 h after a first injection.

Chemical Approaches to Define the Structure-Activity Relationship of Heparin-like Glycosaminoglycans

Heparin, the drug of choice for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders, has been shown to interact with many proteins. Despite its widespread medical use, little is known about the precise sequences that interact with specific proteins. The minimum heparin binding sequence for FGF1 and FGF2 necessary to promote signaling was investigated. A characteristic pentasaccharide sequence, DEFGH, is required to accelerate the inhibition of thrombin and factor Xa in the blood-coagulation cascade. The first synthetic heparin pentasaccharide drug has been approved in Europe and the US and is sold under the trade name Arixtra. Other oligosaccharides with different composition are under clinical investigation. The enormous interest in the assembly of heparin oligosaccharides will stimulate the development of new synthetic approaches. Heparin-oligosaccharide-synthesis automation similar to that of DNA or peptide synthesis will play an important role.

Synthetic heparin derivatives as new anticoagulant drugs

The journey towards a detailed mechanistic understanding of the anticoagulant action of heparin has resulted in synthetic mimetics with improved pharmacodynamic profiles. Inspired by the ternary complex formation of heparin with antithrombin III and thrombin, the active pentasaccharide fondaparinux has been succeeded by several clinical candidates, such as SR123781, that have tailor-made factor Xa and thrombin inhibitory activities combined with less aspecific binding (e.g. binding to platelet factor 4 involved in thrombocytopenia). Novel compounds with both antithrombin III-mediated inhibition of factor Xa and direct thrombin inhibition are emerging. Org42675 is one such compound, balancing dual inhibition of factor Xa and thrombin in one anticoagulant drug, with excellent pharmacokinetic properties and strong inhibitory activity toward clot-bound thrombin.

From heparins to factor Xa inhibitors and beyond

Despite some disadvantages, unfractionated heparin (UFH) and oral anticoagulants have been the only anticoagulants for prophylaxis and therapy of thromboembolic disorders for several decades. Based on the increasing knowledge of the structure and pharmacology of heparin, low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) have been developed in the 1980s. Compared to UFH, their advantages are mainly based on their reduced nonspecific binding to proteins and cells resulting in improved pharmacokinetics. In 1991, LMWH were declared as the most efficient prophylaxis in high-risk patients. Although the use of LMWH is increasing and they are today also applied for therapy and in other indications like acute coronary syndrome, they are considered not optimal concerning efficacy and safety. With the approval of fondaparinux for the prevention of venous thromboembolic disease in high-risk orthopedic patients, there might be a paradigm shift in the field of anticoagulants. Fondaparinux, a synthetic, chemically defined pentasaccharide, is the first selective inhibitor of factor Xa. By its highly specific binding to antithrombin, it selectively inhibits factor Xa and consequently prevents thrombin generation. In contrast to UFH and LMWH, it does not bind to any other cells and other proteins than antithrombin. This leads to a favourable linear pharmacokinetic profile, allowing once-daily subcutaneous application of a fixed dose without monitoring in thromboembolism prophylaxis. In addition to the evaluation of fondaparinux for further indications, chemical modifications of this pentasaccharide such as the long-acting idraparinux are currently under investigation.

Heparin-induced substrate behavior of antithrombin Cambridge II

Cambridge II (A384S) is a highly prevalent antithrombin variant in the British population (1.14 per 1000) and predisposes carriers to a mild but significant increased risk of thrombosis. To determine if the association of Cambridge II with thrombophilia is due to a perturbation of the antithrombin inhibitory mechanism, we expressed and characterized the variant. Antithrombin Cambridge II was found to be normal in its affinity for heparin, its ability to form sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable complexes with factor Xa and thrombin, and its uncatalyzed stoichiometries and rates of inhibition. However, in the presence of full-length heparin there was a 3- and 7-fold increase in stoichiometry of inhibition of factor Xa and thrombin. The stoichiometries were not affected by pentasaccharides, indicating that the inhibitory mechanism of antithrombin Cambridge II is perturbed only in the presence of a bridging glycosaminoglycan. Thus, the vascular localization of antithrombin Cambridge II would render the carrier slightly thrombophilic. The high occurrence of this mutation and its possible propagation from a few founders suggests an evolutionary advantage, perhaps in decreasing postpartum bleeding.

New antithrombin-based anticoagulants

Clinically used anticoagulants are inhibitors of enzymes involved in the coagulation pathway, primarily thrombin and factor Xa. These agents can be either direct or indirect inhibitors of clotting enzymes. Heparin-based anticoagulants are indirect inhibitors that enhance the proteinase inhibitory activity of a natural anticoagulant, antithrombin. Despite its phenomenal success, current anticoagulation therapy suffers from the risk of serious bleeding. The need for safer and more effective antithrombotic agents clearly exists. The past decade has seen enormous effort directed toward discovering and/or designing new molecules with anticoagulant activity. These new molecules can be classified into (a). antithrombin and its mutants, (b). natural polysaccharides, (c). synthetic modified heparins and heparin-mimics, (d). synthetic oligosaccharides, and (e). synthetic non-sugar antithrombin activators. This review focuses on these efforts in designing or discovering new molecules that act through the antithrombin pathway of anticoagulation.

Synthetic oligosaccharides having various functional domains: potent and potentially safe heparin mimetics

A synthetic heptadecasaccharide, comprising an antithrombin III binding domain, a thrombin binding domain, and a neutral methylated hexasaccharide sequence, was obtained through a convergent synthesis. This compound displayed in vitro anticoagulant properties similar to that of standard heparin but, in contrast with heparin, escaped neutralization by platelet factor 4, a protein released by activated platelets.