Anti-IIa activity and antitumor properties of a hybrid heparin/heparan sulfate-like compound from Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp

In this present study, the anti-IIa activity and the antitumor properties of a hybrid heparin/heparan sulfate-like compound (sH/HS) from Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp heads are related. In addition to inhibiting 90.7% of thrombin activity at the lowest tested concentration (0.5 μg/mL), sH/HS compound stimulated the synthesis of antithrombotic heparan sulfate by endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the molecule from shrimp displayed a potent anti-angiogenic effect, reducing over 80% of the tubular structures formation at 50 and 100 μg/mL. In addition, sH/HS compound was able to inhibit the migration of B16F10 cells at all tested concentrations without affecting the cell viability. Although the studied compound had no effect on the proliferation of such cells during a period of 24 h, it had a significant long-term anti-proliferative effect, reducing about 80% of colony formation and anchorage-independent growth at 50 and 100 μg/mL concentrations. When its effectiveness was tested in vivo, it was demonstrated that sH/HS promoted a reduction of more than 90% of tumor growth. In the context of thromboembolic disorders associated with cancer, such findings make the sH/HS compound an excellent target for studies on inhibiting of development and tumor progression, and the prevention of coagulopathies.