Novel vanadyl complexes of alginate saccharides: Synthesis, characterization, and biological activities

• Obtained vanadyl alginate polysaccharides (VAPS) and vanadyl alginate oligosaccharides (VAOS).
• Promoted antiproliferation of ligands of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402.
• Potent inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B.
• Had no significant side effects on proliferation and viability of HL-7702 hepatic cells.

Vanadium compounds present many physiological functions. However, vanadium(IV) and (V) salts are difficult for gastrointestinal absorption and have strong side effects. Therefore organic oxovanadium compounds gain more attention. Vanadyl alginate polysaccharides (VAPS) and vanadyl alginate oligosaccharides (VAOS) were obtained from aqueous solutions of VOSO4 at pH 12. They were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). The antioxidant activity of oxovanadium(IV) complexes was investigated in hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging systems in vitro. The results reveal that activities of VAPS and VAOS in the two systems were stronger than those of alginate polysaccharides (APS) and alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), respectively. In addition, VAPS and VAOS promoted significantly the antiproliferation of ligands of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402. Oxovanadium(IV) complexes were potent inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) with IC50 values in the range of 6.4–18.7 μg/mL, indicated in biochemical assays. In addition, Vanadyl-alginate had no significant side effects on proliferation and viability of HL-7702 hepatic cells. In the future, they can be added to medicines and ease the growing threat that cancer and diabetes mellitus cause to human health.