• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2011

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown algae that has been reported to perform multiple biological activities, including immunostimulation. In this study, we investigated whether fucoidan has beneficial effects on endotoxemia induced by LPS, a septic model in mice. The focus of this study was on survival rates and spleen function of the mice upon treatment. We found that fucoidan had prophylactic effects on the survival rate of mice with endotoxemia. Flow cytometric analysis using antibodies for subset-specific markers revealed that fucoidan profoundly reversed the depleted population of dendritic cells in mice with endotoxemia. According to Western blot analysis, the spleen cells of LPS/fucoidan-treated mice showed a higher expression of anti-apoptotic molecules compared to those of LPS-treated mice. Also, fucoidan-treated spleen cells were more responsive to mitogens. Taken together, these results demonstrate that fucoidan pre-treatment has beneficial effects on the survival rate and function of the spleen in mice with endotoxemia. This study may broaden the use of fucoidan in clinical fields, especially endotoxemia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1724-1728
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• 2012

A marine bacterial strain that degraded fucoidan from Ecklonia cava was isolated from seawater. The crude fucoidanase of this strain efficiently degraded fucoidan at pH 8 and $50^{\circ}C$. The crude enzyme hydrolyzed 7.1% (w/w) fucoidan within 24 hrs from an 1% (w/v) fucoidan solution and produced oligosaccharides by endo-type hydrolysis as the reaction products. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and biochemical tests permitted a tentative identification of strain SB 1493 as a Pseudoalteromonas species.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2015

Fucoidan, a fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed in the class Phaeophyceae, has been widely studied for its possible health benefits. However, the potential of fucoidan as a possible treatment for hyperpigmentation is not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of fucoidan on melanogenesis and related signaling pathways using Mel-Ab cells. Fucoidan significantly decreased melanin content. While fucoidan treatment decreased tyrosinase activity, it did not do so directly. Western blot analysis indicated that fucoidan downregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and reduced tyrosinase protein expression. Further investigation showed that fucoidan activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, suggesting a possible mechanism for the inhibition of melanin synthesis. Treatment with PD98059, a specific ERK inhibitor, resulted in the recovery of melanin production. Taken together, these findings suggest that fucoidan inhibits melanogenesis via ERK phosphorylation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2009

Fucoidan is a uniquely-structured sulfated fucose-rich polysaccharide derived from brown algae. Recently, the abalone glycosidase-digested fucoidan extract (fucoidan extract) derived from seaweed Cladosiphon novae-caledoniae Kylin (Mozuku) draws much attention because of its clinical anti-cancer effect in Japan. Here, we report the cancer cells-specific apoptosis inducing effects of the fucoidan extract. The fucoidan extract suppressed the growth of various anchorage-dependent and -independent cancer cells. The fucoidan extract contained low molecular weight components, which induced apoptosis of human leukemic HL 60 cells but not of human lymphocytes. It was shown that the fucoidan extract lead caspase 3/7 activation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in HL 60 cells. Another function of the fucoidan extract was also observed. It has been known that sugar chain expression on the surface of cancer cell membrane changes dependent on their malignancy. The analysis on sugar chain expression profiling using FITC-labeled lectins revealed that the expression of concanavalin A (Con A) binding sugar chain was enhanced by the treatment of human lung adenocarcinoma A549, human uterine carcinoma HeLa and human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells with the fucoidan extract. Con A-induced apoptosis of cancer cells was stimulated in a dose-and time-dependent manner by the treatment with the fucoidan extract but not of human normal fibroblast TIG-1 cells.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2006

In order to improve the antiobesity effect of Kochujang, 1% of sea tangle powder, alginic acid extract, and fucoidan extract were added to Kochujang. Sea tangle powder-added Kochujang decreased leptin secretion by only 12% compared to Kochujang, whereas alginic acid or fucoidan-added Kochujang significantly decreased leptin secretion by more than 60% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fucoidan, one of the active components of sea tangle, decreased leptin secretion by 56%, 60%, and 60% compared to the control in the concentrations of $1{\mu}M,\;2.5{\mu}M,\;and\;5{\mu}M$, respectively. To see the effect of fucoidan on TG formation during adipocyte differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with $1{\mu}M\;and\;5{\mu}M$ concentrations of fucoidan during adipocyte differentiation (from 'day 0' to 'day 6'). Oil red O staining showed fucoidan decreased the amount of TG droplets and $5{\mu}M$ fucoidan potently inhibited TG formation. To see the effect of fucoidan on lipolysis, differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with fucoidan. The secretion of glycerol, which is used to measure lipolytic activity, was increased by 21%, 37%, and 53% compared to the control in the concentrations of $1{\mu}M,\;2.5{\mu}M,\;and\;5{\mu}M$, respectively. Oil red O staining showed fucoidan decreased TG amount at $1{\mu}M\;and\;5{\mu}M$ concentrations. These results suggest that fucoidan decreases leptin secretion and TG accumulation by inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and induction of lipolysis. Since fucoidan is reported to have various biological activities in addition to an anti-adipogenic effect, it seems valuable to develop fucoidan-added Kochujang as a multi-functional Kochujang.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2012

Fucoidan has been shown to enhance immune function. The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro effect of fucoidan on the chamotactic activity of canine peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). The chemotactic activity of PMNs was evaluated by method of a modified Boyden chamber assay. The amount of interleukin (IL)-8 in the culture supernatants from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated with fucoidan was determined by means of ELISA. Fucoidan itself could not have chemoattract effects for PMNs. However, the chemotaxis of PMNs was remarkably enhanced by culture supernatant from PBMCs treated with fucoidan. Similarly, it was also increased by recombinant canine (rc) IL-8. These chemotactic activities of PMNs were inhibited by addition of anti-rcIL-8 polyclonal antibody (pAb). The amount of IL-8 in the culture supernatant from PBMCs was shown to increase upon treatment of fucoidan as compared with that of untreated PBMCs culture supernatant. These results suggest that fucoidan upregulates the chemotaxis of PMNs, which is mainly mediated by IL-8 released from fucoidanstimulated PBMCs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2015

Fucoidan which is sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed has a wide variety of internal biological activities. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of fucoidan on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to investigate whether this effect is involved in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the activation of activator portein-1 (AP-1). The levels of NO production and AP-1 activity in the culture supernatants from porcine PBMCs were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the levels of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction. Fucoidan in LPS-naïve PBMCs has no effects on the production of NO and activity of AP-1. Expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA in LPS-naïve PBMCs were also not affected by treatment of fucoidan. However, NO production, AP-1 activity and expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA were dramatically increased in PBMCs stimulated with LPS. Enhancing effects of NO production and AP-1 activity in PBMCs induced by LPS were reduced by addition of fucoidan. Fucoidan also inhibited an increase in expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. These results suggested that fucoidan exerts anti-inflammatory effect by down-regulating production of NO via suppressing expression of iNOS and activity of AP-1 in LPS-stimulated porcine PBMCs.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2015

We identified a novel Akt signaling mechanism that mediates fucoidan-induced suppression of human colon cancer cell (HT29) proliferation and anticancer effects. Fucoidan treatment significantly inhibited growth, induced G1-phase-associated upregulation of p21WAF1 expression, and suppressed cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase expression in HT29 colon cancer cells. Additionally, fucoidan treatment activated the Akt signaling pathway, which was inhibited by treatment with an Akt inhibitor. The inhibition of Akt activation reversed the fucoidan-induced decrease in cell proliferation, the induction of G1-phase-associated p21WAF1 expression, and the reduction in cell cycle regulatory protein expression. Intraperitoneal injection of fucoidan reduced tumor volume; this enhanced antitumor efficacy was associated with induction of apoptosis and decreased angiogenesis. These data suggest that the activation of Akt signaling is involved in the growth inhibition of colon cancer cells treated with fucoidan. Thus, fucoidan may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for colon cancer.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.665-671
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• 2020

The chemical and rheological properties of fucoidan and alginate prepared from different parts of Undaria pinnatifida (sporophyll, frond, stipe) were investigated. The algal materials were extracted with HCl (pH 2.0, 3 h at 70℃) to prepare fucoidan, and the remaining solid was continuously re-extracted with Na₂CO₃ (pH 10.0, 70℃, 3 h) to prepare alginic acid. The fucoidan and alginic acid contents in the sporophyll, frond, and stipe were 11.14%, 3.84%, and 1.73% and 22.04%, 37.14%, and 31.74%, respectively. The content of fucoidan and alginate depends on the part extracted. The fucoidan extracted from the sporophyll mainly consists of fucose and galactose, but the fucoidan extracted from frond and stipe contains mannose in addition to fucose and galactose. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of fucoidan and alginate suggests the presence of sulfate groups (1261 and 840 cm^-1) and carboxyl groups (1626 and 1419 cm^-1), respectively. Alginate solutions (5%) had a low viscosity of 10.84-31.63 mPa·s. The activation energies of fucoidan and sodium alginate were 14.45-18.38 kJ/mol and 18.61-22.06 kJ/mol, respectively. The D-mannuronic acid/L-guluronic acid (M/G) ratios of alginate showed a relatively high (frond, 3.72; stipe, 2.88; and sporophyll, 1.80).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.362-365
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• 2004

The fucoidan from Laminaria relicollected at Wando in Korea was purified with the yield of 2.3% in mass. The monosaccharide composiof the purified fucoidan was nearly identical to that of the commercial standard: fucose 63.71 %, xylose 22.98%, galactose 6.62%, mannose 0.24%, and uronic acid 3.26%. Microorganisms capable of degrading the purified fucoidan were isolated from the colonies on the minimal medium containing 0.2% of purified fucoidan as a sole carbon source. Of these isolates, a strain showing a relatively higher capability to degrade fucoidan, up to 63%, was partially characterized as a Gram positive, aerobic, moderately halophilic marine bacterium.