The sea cucumber peptides (SCPs) from Acaudina leucoprocta were derived from the patented bio-enzyme digestion technology and the molecular weight of obtained SCPs was <10 kDa. In this study, we investigated the possible anti-aging effects of SCPs on the model of Caenorhabditis elegans and the underlying mechanisms. SCPs extend the average lifespan of nematodes by 31.46%. SCPs enhance the anti-stress capacity of C. elegans by improving heat resistance and mobility, Also, the accumulated potential oxidative stress inducers like lipofuscin and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reduced to 40.84 and 71.43%. In addition, SCPs can increase the antioxidant capacity in nematodes by enhancing the activity of SOD and CAT and reducing MDA accumulation in nematodes to 32.44%. Mechanistically, SCPs could mediate DAF-16/DAF-2/SOD-3/OLD-1/PEPT-1 axis to improve antioxidant capacity and extend lifespan in nematodes. Taken together, these findings provide a direction for the anti-aging effects of sea cucumber peptides and new insights into the further purifications of SCPs and future research on aging.
Sulfated fucans from sea cucumbers are potent anticoagulants, but their structural complexity has hindered understanding of their structure-activity relationship at the oligosaccharide level. Herein, we report the preparation, structural characterization, and anticoagulant evaluation of structurally defined sulfated fuco-oligosaccharides from the sea cucumber, Acaudina leucoprocta . Crude polysaccharides were fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography to obtain a fucan sulfate fraction (WS-0). Mild acid hydrolysis of WS-0 generated an oligosaccharide mixture, which was purified by sequential Bio-Gel P-2 and anion-exchange chromatography, yielding a series of oligosaccharide fractions with degrees of polymerization (DP) ranging from 1 to 9. Their structures were elucidated using ESI-MS, MS/MS, and 800 MHz NMR spectroscopy. Two structurally defined fuco-disaccharides were obtained: α-L-Fuc p 2S4S-(1 → 3)-α/β-L-Fuc p (dWS0–4-0.14) and a mixture of α-L-Fuc p 2S-(1 → 3)-α/β-L-Fuc p and α-L-Fuc p 4S-(1 → 3)-α/β-L-Fuc p (dWS0–4-0.05). Among the oligosaccharide fractions, dWS0–3-1 (DP 3–6) exhibited the strongest anticoagulant activity, prolonging APTT to 47.4 ± 4.7 s and TT to 43.2 ± 1.0 s at 400 μg/mL, while showing minimal effect on PT. Comparative analysis revealed that both chain length and sulfation pattern co-determine anticoagulant potency, with 2,4-di-O-sulfation enabling shorter chains to inhibit thrombin. This study provided the first structural map of anticoagulant fuco-oligosaccharides from A. leucoprocta , identifying minimal structural motifs for activity and offering promising leads for developing novel antithrombotic agents.
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