Perspectives for the Use of Fucoidans in Clinical Oncology

Abstract

Fucoidans are natural sulfated polysaccharides that have a wide range of biological functions and are regarded as promising antitumor agents. The activity of various fucoidans and their derivatives has been demonstrated in vitro on tumor cells of different histogenesis and in experiments on mice with grafted tumors. However, these experimental models showed low levels of antitumor activity and clinical trials did not prove that this class of compounds could serve as antitumor drugs. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, immunostimulating, and anticoagulant properties of fucoidans, as well as their ability to stimulate hematopoiesis during cytostatic-based antitumor therapy, suggest that effective fucoidan-based drugs could be designed for the supportive care and symptomatic therapy of cancer patients. The use of fucoidans in cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiation therapy might promote the rapid improvement of hematopoiesis, while their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant effects have the potential to improve the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.

Immunopotentiating Activity of Fucoidans and Relevance to Cancer Immunotherapy

“…Fucoidans have been shown to exhibit a variety of beneficial pharmacological effects, including antitumor [ 5 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], anti-inflammatory [ 3 , 4 , 5 ], immunomodulatory [ 4 , 5 ] antioxidant [ 6 , 7 , 8 ], anticoagulant [ 5 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ], antithrombotic [ 5 , 63 , 64 ], antiangiogenic [ 5 , 56 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ], and antiviral [ 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 ].…”

“…Fucoidan ( Fucus vesiculosus ) has been developed as a therapeutic nanomedicine to enhance the efficacy of immune check inhibitors (anti-PD-L1) in immunosuppressive TME [ 126 , 161 ]. It has been shown that the fucoidan-based nanomedicine IO@FuDe reduces adverse effects and extends patient survival in cancer treatments [ 5 , 126 ]. Although the development of fucoidan-based therapeutic nanoparticles is still in an early stage [ 152 ], it is important and promising to develop fucoidan as a nanotechnology-based cancer immunotherapy drug [ 162 , 163 ].…”

“…Fucoidans are proving to be promising pharmaceutical agents, widely cited as exhibiting antitumor, immunomodulatory (immunopotentiating), anti-inflammatory, and other pharmacological properties [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. These extracts contain exceedingly large amounts of vitamins and minerals, and, therefore, for many years, they have been used as safe dietary supplements to support and improve human immunity [ 9 ].…”

Combined Radiomodifying Effect of Fucoidan from the Brown Alga Saccharina cichorioides and Pacificusoside D from the Starfish Solaster pacificus in the Model of 3D Melanoma Cells

“…It was reported that dietary compounds or nutraceuticals such as diferuloylmethane (curcumin), plant hytoalexin (resveratrol), pentacyclic triterpenoid isolated from the root of Tripterygium wilfordii (celastrol) radiosensitized different types of cancer cells through the modulation of cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, and the regulation of TNF-α/NFκΒ and MAPK kinases activation [ 37 ]. Since the sulfated polysaccharides of brown algae, fucoidans, their derivatives, and glycosides from the starfishes, exhibited potent cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, anti-migratory, and anti-metastatic activities against human cancer cells [ 12 , 19 , 38 , 39 ] we check the idea that fucoidan from the brown alga S. cichorioides in combination with triterpene glycoside, pacificusoside D, from the starfish S. pacificus would be able to increase the inhibiting effect of low non-toxic doses X-ray radiation resulting in effective suppression of the viability and invasion of 3D melanoma cells SK-MEKL-2.…”

A Dietary Supplement Containing Fucoidan Preserves Endothelial Glycocalyx through ERK/MAPK Signaling and Protects against Damage Induced by CKD Serum

“…Furthermore, ECX contains more ingredients than fucoidan and glucosamine, e.g., hyaluronan, antioxidants and enzymes, which may in vivo improve endothelial health by exhibiting beneficial synergistic effects (e.g., protection of existing eGC against damage, synthesis of new eGC components, enhanced eGC repair). It is noteworthy that fucoidan is unlikely to be used as an individual agent alone in clinical practice but instead as a mixed dietary supplement [ 56 , 57 ]. Hence, further experiments are planned to elucidate the role of other ECX components in eGC protection.…”