Background: Carbohydrate molecules, including polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans and small molecule carbohydrates, play diverse and important roles in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. Designing carbohydrate-based therapeutic agents to promote the activity of certain growth factors (GFs) may provide a new approach to solve unmet medical challenges.

Materials and methods: We obtained an acidic polysaccharide fraction (EUP3) from the bark of Eucommia ulmoides, among a series of natural Chinese medicinal herbs [1]. We performed a series of binding affinity assays for growth factors (such as ELISA and SPR) and confirmed the affinity of EUP3 for binding FGF-2 and PDGF-BB, two key cytokines of blood vessel formation and maturation, respectively.

Results: EUP3 polysaccharide is a naturally derived acidic polysaccharide with affinity for pro-angiogenic GFs, especially PDGF-BB, which is under investigation as a bioactive component for wound healing.

Conclusions: In summary, we demonstrated a class of polysaccharide tool developed in our laboratory with specific focus. This carbohydrate material with specific features exhibit unique and useful functions that may have an impact in tissue regenerative applications (Fig. 1).