Non-anticoagulant effects of low molecular weight heparins in inflammatory disorders: A review

•Major advances in the development of anti-inflammatory low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), preclinical and clinical studies as well as possible underlying molecular mechanisms of actions have been summarized.•The activities of commercially available LMWHs have been compared to highlight differen...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Carbohydrate polymers 2017-03, Vol.160, p.71-81
Main Authors: Yan, Yishu, Ji, Yang, Su, Nan, Mei, Xiang, Wang, Yi, Du, Shanshan, Zhu, Wenming, Zhang, Chong, Lu, Yuan, Xing, Xin-Hui
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Heparin
Inflammation
Low molecular weight heparins
Non-anticoagulant
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:•Major advances in the development of anti-inflammatory low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), preclinical and clinical studies as well as possible underlying molecular mechanisms of actions have been summarized.•The activities of commercially available LMWHs have been compared to highlight different anti-inflammatory effects in LMWHs produced using different manufacturing processes.•The importance of structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies on the non-anticoagulant effects of LMWHs was stressed, and strategies for exploring new clinical indications were discussed. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are produced by chemical or enzymatic depolymerization of unfractionated heparin (UFH). Besides their well-known anticoagulant effects, LMWHs have also been reported to exhibit numerous anti-inflammatory properties. Previous studies have, however, shown that different production processes result in unique structural characteristics of LMWHs. The structural variations may help explain the different therapeutic spectrums in disease treatment for non-anticoagulant effects. In the present review, we summarize major advances in understanding and exploiting the anti-inflammatory disorder activities of LMWHs, based on mechanistic studies, preclinical experiments and clinical trials. We highlight differences in these activities of commercially available LMWHs produced using different manufacturing processes. We stress the importance of structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies on the non-anticoagulant effects of LMWHs and discuss strategies for exploring new clinical indications.
ISSN:0144-8617
1879-1344
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.12.037