A mixture of highly sulfated, monophosphorylated mannose oligosaccharides, derived from the extracellular phosphomannan of the yeast Pichia (Hansenula) holstii, with potential antiangiogenic activity. Heparanase inhibitor PI-88 inhibits the endo-beta-D-glucuronidase heparanase, which may interfere with the heparanase-mediated degradation of heparan-sulfate proteoglycans in extracellular matrices, an important step in the metastatic process. This agent may also bind with high affinity to the heparan sulfate-binding domains of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factors 1 and 2, thereby reducing their functional activities and inhibiting VEGF and FGF stimulation of tumor angiogenesis. Increased heparanase activity has been implicated in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. Check for active clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
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