Stringer S E, Gallagher J T
Department of Medical Oncology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital, Withington, Manchester, U.K.
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 1997 May;29(5):709-14. doi: 10.1016/s1357-2725(96)00170-7.
Heparan sulphates, the N-sulphated polysaccharides components of proteoglycans, are common constituents of cell surfaces and the extracellular matrix. The heparan sulphate polysaccharide chain has a unique molecular design in the which the clusters of N- and O-sulphated sugar residues, separated by regions of low sulphation, determine specific protein binding properties. The heparan sulphate chains are attached to various protein cores, which determine the location of the proteoglycan in the cell membrane and extracellular matrix. The diverse functions of heparan sulphate, which range from the control of blood coagulation to the regulation of cell growth and adhesion, depend on the capacity of the chains to activate protein ligands, such as antithrombin III and members of the fibroblast growth factor family. These properties are currently being exploited in the development of synthetic heparan sulphates as anticoagulants and promoters of wound healing. Conversely organic mimics of growth factor activating saccharides could possibly be designed to suppress tumour growth and prevent restenosis after coronary vessel angioplasty.
硫酸乙酰肝素是蛋白聚糖的N-硫酸化多糖成分，是细胞表面和细胞外基质的常见组成部分。硫酸乙酰肝素多糖链具有独特的分子结构，其中由低硫酸化区域分隔的N-硫酸化和O-硫酸化糖残基簇决定了特定的蛋白质结合特性。硫酸乙酰肝素链附着于各种蛋白质核心，这些核心决定了蛋白聚糖在细胞膜和细胞外基质中的位置。硫酸乙酰肝素的多种功能，从控制血液凝固到调节细胞生长和黏附，都取决于其激活蛋白质配体的能力，如抗凝血酶III和成纤维细胞生长因子家族的成员。目前，这些特性正被用于开发合成硫酸乙酰肝素作为抗凝血剂和伤口愈合促进剂。相反，可能设计出生长因子激活糖类的有机模拟物来抑制肿瘤生长并预防冠状动脉血管成形术后的再狭窄。
