Heart health and fucoidan
Several studies published this year from around the world have used fucoidan in various models to advance stem cell therapies, biomaterial devices, and protection of heart cells. The increase in research in these areas highlights the beneficial effects of fucoidan on vascular function, thrombosis prevention and general cardiac health.
One study conducted in France demonstrated a novel approach to increasing vascularisation (Purnama 2015). Fucoidan-modified hydrogel scaffolds designed to release a growth factor (VEGF) became intensely vascularised in a subcutaneous mouse model. The results indicated that fucoidan isolated the growth factor and promoted angiogenesis (the forming of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels). This research could lead to functional devices for revascularisation and, ultimately, tissue restoration.
Another study conducted by Chinese researchers investigated the use of fucoidan to prevent cardiac cell death after blocked circulation leads to a low oxygen environment (Zhang 2015). Researchers simulated hypoxia (a state in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply) in vitro and their results suggested that fucoidan protected the cardiac muscle cells from apoptosis (cell death).
Furthermore, stem cell researchers in Korea found that fucoidan reversed ageing in cultured endothelial cells, signalling a potential role for fucoidan to be used as a cell therapy to form new vessels. These researchers also studied cells transplanted in ischemic (blood starved) tissues in mice and their results suggested that pre-treatment of cells with fucoidan was an effective method to restore function. This novel research is an excellent example of the potential for fucoidan to be used in restorative cellular therapies.
Purnama A, Aid-Launais R, Haddad O, Maire M, Mantovani D, Letourneur D, Hlawaty H, Le Visage C. Fucoidan in a 3D scaffold interacts with vascular endothelial growth factor and promotes neovascularization in mice. Drug Deliv Transl Res. 2015 Apr;5(2):187-97
Zhang SM, Xie ZP, Xu ML, Shi LF. Cardioprotective effects of fucoidan against hypoxia-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. Pharm Biol. 2015 Apr 15:1-6.
Lee JH, Lee SH, Hyun Choi S, Asahara T, Kwon SM. The Sulfated Polysaccharide Fucoidan Rescues Senescence of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells for Ischemic Repair. Stem Cells. 2015 Feb 19.