Bioactivities of Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides consist of multiple Monosaccharides. It is widely distributed in plants, microorganisms, etc. As research continues, the role of polysaccharides in living organisms has gradually emerged. Some polysaccharides serve as the main components of cell walls, such as cellulose and peptidoglycan. Some are stored in organisms as nutrients, such as glycogen and starch. Some exert special biological activities in the body. For example, heparin has an anticoagulant effect on the human body. Extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) produced by cyanobacteria increase the tolerance of organisms to environmental stress. In addition to this, polysaccharides affect other physiological activities in organisms. It is found that polysaccharides can regulate the normal level of blood lipids in the body by regulating the levels of genes and proteins related to lipid metabolism.

Polysaccharide Analysis Services at CD BioGlyco

CD BioGlyco has years of experience in analyzing Carbohydrate Metabolism. Polysaccharides play key roles in cell signaling, energy storage, and more. Their synthesis and metabolism involve complex regulatory controls. The chemical structure of polysaccharides is the basis of their biological activity, such as molecular weight, degree of polymerization, etc. We develop a range of analysis services to meet the needs of polysaccharide synthesis and metabolism research.

• Polysaccharide structure analysis service

Our research on the structural characterization of polysaccharides includes multiple types. These include physical property analysis, molecular weight determination, infrared (IR) determination, and several chemical characterization methods. We are equipped with a wide range of advanced analytical equipment for this purpose. Our testing techniques include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and many other advanced techniques. These techniques are characterized by low sample requirements, easy operation, high throughput, high resolution, and high sensitivity.

Fig.1 Flow of polysaccharide content and structure analysis. (CD BioGlyco)

• Polysaccharide metabolism kinetics analysis service

Polysaccharides have a variety of biological activities. It has been found that the intake of polysaccharides will enhance the biological activities of the organism, such as antioxidant and immunomodulation. Currently, research on polysaccharides mainly focuses on structural analysis, purification, and bioactivity detection. The metabolic kinetic analysis of polysaccharides is less. We provide targeted and non-targeted metabolomics research services for polysaccharides. We use LC-MS, NMR, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and other means for analysis.

Fig.2 Flow of metabolomics analysis. (CD BioGlyco)

• Polysaccharide metabolism-related enzyme activity assay service

Studies on the composition and conformation of polysaccharides are of great importance for their biological activities. Regulating the metabolic synthesis pathway has become a way to modify polysaccharides in plants and bacteria. We provide polysaccharide metabolism-related enzyme activity assay service. We analyze changes in synthesis and metabolic processes by measuring polysaccharide metabolism-related enzyme activities.

Our analytical services include sea cucumber polysaccharides, glucomannan, glucan, etc.

Case Study: High-Precision Bacterial Endotoxin Testing for Polysaccharide Quality Control and R&D

• Introduction & Background

Polysaccharides derived from natural sources, such as chitin and pachyman, hold immense potential across the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. However, when developing these biopolymers for downstream applications, monitoring and controlling impurities is paramount. Bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides from Gram-negative bacteria) are potent pyrogens that can provoke severe immune reactions even in minute quantities. Consequently, rigorous endotoxin analysis is a fundamental pillar of quality control and regulatory compliance in polysaccharide research and development.

To support these critical requirements, CD BioGlyco provides comprehensive, highly sensitive polysaccharide analysis services. In this featured project, our team performed precise bacterial endotoxin testing on custom polysaccharide samples to assist a client with their internal quality control and ongoing R&D processes.

• The Challenge & Client Request

The client required highly sensitive and accurate quantification of endotoxin levels within two distinct polysaccharide materials:

• Pachyman, 90% (Cat. No.: X26-03-YM001)
• Chitin, Practical grade (Cat. No.: X23-09-YW024)

Because natural polysaccharides can sometimes exhibit complex chemical properties or structural variations that interfere with standard assays, selecting a robust analytical method and ensuring expert execution were crucial to obtaining reproducible, valid results.

• CD BioGlyco's Technical Approach

To deliver the highest standard of analytical precision, we deployed the kinetic turbidimetric method for this project.

• Methodology & Principle:
  • Mechanism: This assay measures the specific increase in turbidity resulting from the reaction between limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) reagent and any endotoxins present in the polysaccharide solution.
  • Quantification: The optical density of the mixture is continuously monitored. The time required for the reaction mixture to reach a predefined absorbance threshold (known as the onset time) is inversely proportional to the log endotoxin concentration. By comparing onset times against a certified standard curve, our analysts precisely calculate the exact endotoxin concentration in EU/mg.

Our seasoned project managers and laboratory technicians handled the samples under strict pyrogen-free conditions to completely avoid external contamination, ensuring adherence to prevailing industry standards.

• Analytical Results

The kinetic turbidimetric testing yielded definitive, clear-cut results for both polysaccharide samples, providing the client with the precise data needed for their quality thresholds:

• Data Interpretation
  • Pachyman, 90%: The endotoxin level was below our assay's limit of detection (< 0.010 EU/mg), confirming exceptional purity and making it ideal for highly sensitive biological or pharmaceutical applications.
  • Chitin, Practical grade: The analysis successfully detected and quantified a low-level endotoxin concentration of 0.078 EU/mg. This precise baseline quantification allows the client to evaluate whether the practical-grade material meets their strict specifications or requires further downstream depyrogenation processing.

The final technical data was meticulously compiled into a formal project report and delivered promptly to the client to advance their workflow.

Publication

Paper Title: Neuroprotective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on light-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in mouse hippocampal neurons

Technology: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC), FT-IR

Journal: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

IF: 8.2

Published: 2023

Results: The purified LBP was characterized. SEM results showed that LBP presented irregular blocks. HPAEC was used to analyze the monosaccharide composition of LBP. The results showed that LBP consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, ribose, and glucuronic acid. The FT-IR spectra of LBP showed typical absorption peaks of carbohydrate polymers. The molecular weight and number of molar masses of LBP were 22.355 kDa and 10.293 kDa, respectively.

Fig.3 Physicochemical characteristics of LBP. (Yang, et al., 2023)

Applications

• Polysaccharide analysis provides a foundation for the study of their biological activities. The techniques for polysaccharide analysis are used to study the correlation between the biological activity of polysaccharides and their structure.
• Abnormal polysaccharide metabolism has been correlated with the development of certain diseases. Polysaccharide analysis is used to study the diseases associated with abnormal polysaccharide metabolism in organisms.
• The techniques for polysaccharide analysis are used to modulate polysaccharide synthesis and metabolism, enabling researchers to synthesize polysaccharides with specific structures.

Highlights

• The multifaceted polysaccharide analysis helps researchers explore the different biological functions of polysaccharides.
• FT-IR has high resolution and accuracy with unique sensitivity, enabling full-band data acquisition.
• Methylation analysis is reproducible and data accuracy is high. We have a full range of assays for neutral, acidic, and modified polysaccharides.

CD BioGlyco offers its global partners a wide range of polysaccharide analysis tools based on extensive experience in carbohydrate metabolism analysis. For detailed information on all technologies, you can feel free to contact us. We are happy to be of service to you.

Reference:

1. Yang, Y.; et al. Neuroprotective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on light-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in mouse hippocampal neurons. Int J Biol Macromol. 2023, 251: 126315.