Carboxymethyl benzylamide sulfonate dextrans (CMDBS), a family of biospecific polymers endowed with numerous biological properties: A review

The functionalized dextrans termed carboxymethyl benzylamide sulfonate dext ran (CMDBS) represent a family encompassing a wide range of polymers. These soluble macromolecular compounds, which are substituted with specific chem ical functional groups, are designed to interact with living systems. By an alogy with glycosaminoglycan heparin, a natural highly charged anionic poly saccharide that exerts: a variety of biological effects, vpe postulated tha t CMDBS compounds also possess binding sites capable of specific interactio ns with biological constituents, depending on the overall composition of th e polymer. The synthesis and heparin-like properties of these CMDBS have be en extensively investigated. Thus, it appears that dextran derivatives can mimic the action of heparin in regard to its interactions with antithrombin and serine proteases involved in blood coagulation. Other derivatives inte ract with various components of the immune system or with adhesive proteins such as fibronectin in modulating the proliferation of Staphylococcus aure us. Because they are able to stimulate wound healing in various in vivo mod els, these polysaccharides may also constitute a family of tissue repair ag ents because of their protecting and potentiating effects with heparin bind ing growth factors, Moreover, dextran derivatives in contact with cells suc h as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, or tumoral cells can affect bo th cell proliferation and metabolism. IL appears that these bioactive polym ers are also efficient tools to investigate the precise mechanism of action of individual biological activities by contrasting their mode of action to that of heparin, In addition to their numerous biological properties and b iospecificity, functionalized dextrans are relatively simple to manufacture and exempt of donor contaminant, which make them attractive in a variety o f clinical applications. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.