[Biological activities of exogenous polysaccharides via controlling endogenous proteoglycan metabolism in vascular endothelial cells].

Proteoglycan contains glycosmainoglycans, which are endogenous sulfated polysaccharides, in the molecule. The metabolism of proteoglycans regulates cell behavior and cellular events. It is possible that exogenous polysaccharide-related molecules exhibit their biological activities by two mechanisms. One is the interaction with cells and the other is the interaction with growth factors/cytokines that regulate proteoglycans. In this review, we describe sodium spirulan, a sulfated polysaccharide obtained from a hot-water extract of the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis, as an exogenous polysaccharide that stimulates the release of proteoglycans from vascular endothelial cells. Factors that regulate endothelial proteoglycan metabolism are also being described as possible target molecules of exogenous polysaccharides. Further research is required to obtain exogenous polysaccharide-related molecules that exhibit useful biological activities through controlling endothelial proteoglycan metabolism for protection against vascular lesions such as atheroslcerosis.