Purified component of blue-green algae and method of use

Abstract

Disclosed herein are extracts of blue green algae, such as Aphanizomenon flos aquae, that are enriched for a selectin ligand, such as an L-selectin ligand. Selectin ligands isolated from blue-green algae cells are disclosed herein. Methods are described for isolating these selectin ligands. The purified selectin ligands are of use in inducing stem cell mobilization in a subject. Thus, methods for inducing stem cell isolation that include administering a therapeutically effective amount of the extract enriched form the selectin ligand, or an isolated selectin ligand, are disclosed herein.

1 . A composition comprising a first and a second component of  Spirulina , wherein the first component consists of a dried form of a solvent extract of fresh, dehydrated, or preserved  Spirulina , wherein the extract comprises a L-selectin ligand that binds specifically to L-selectin and inhibits fucoidan-mediated expression of the CXCR4 receptor, and where the solvent consists of water or buffered saline; and
 wherein the second component consists of a dried form of a second solvent extract of fresh, dehydrated, or preserved  Spirulina , wherein the second solvent comprises ethanol.   
   
   
       2 . A composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  in a pharmacologically acceptable carrier. 
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the second solvent extract is produced by suspending dried  Spirulina  in about 10 to about 20 percent ethanol at about 50° C. to about 60° C. 
   
   
       4 . The composition of  claim 2 , comprising 1 gram to about 2 grams of the first component of  Spirulina , and about 100 milligrams to about 500 milligrams of the second component of  Spirulina.    
   
   
       5 . The composition of  claim 4 , comprising about 1 gram of the first component of  Spirulina , and about 150 milligrams of the second component of  Spirulina.    
   
   
       6 . The composition of  claim 1 , produced by the process of contacting a first amount of  Spirulina  in a solvent consisting of water or phosphate buffered saline for about half an hour to about 12 hours to produce a first extract;
 removing solid material from the first extract;   drying the first extract to produce a solid composition comprising a L-selectin ligand;   incubating a second amount of  Spirulina  in 10 percent ethanol at about 50° C. for about one hour to produce la second extract;   removing solid material from the second extract;   drying the second extract to produce a solid form of the second extract; and   mixing a therapeutically effective amount of the solid composition comprising the L-selectin ligand and a therapeutically effective amount of the solid form of the second extract.   
   
   
       7 . A composition comprising about 1 gram of a first component of  Spirulina  and about 150 milligrams of a second component of  Spirulina , wherein the first component consists of a dried form of a first solvent extract of fresh, dehydrated, or preserved  Spirulina , wherein the first solvent extract comprises a L-selectin ligand that binds specifically to L-selectin and inhibits fucoidan-mediated expression of the CXCR4 receptor, and where the first solvent consists of water or buffered saline; and  wherein the second component consists of a dried form of a second solvent extract of fresh, dehydrated, or preserved  Spirulina , wherein the second solvent comprises about 10 percent to about 20 percent ethanol. 
   
   
       8 . The composition of  claim 7 , where the first solvent consists of water. 
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 7 , where the first solvent consists of buffered saline. 
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the second solvent comprises about 10 percent ethanol. 
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the second solvent comprises about 20 percent ethanol. 
   
   
       12 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the composition is a solid. 
   
   
       13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the solid is encapsulated. 
   
   
       14 . A liquid composition comprising 1 gram of the composition of  claim 7  dissolved in water. 
   
   
       15 . A method of mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells in a subject, comprising:
 administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 1 , thereby mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells in the subject.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second solvent extract is produced by suspending dried  Spirulina  in about 10 to about 20 percent ethanol at about 50° C. to about 60° C. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises about 1 gram to about 2 grams of the first component of  Spirulina , and about 100 milligrams to about 500 milligrams of the second component of  Spirulina.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises about 1 gram of the first component of  Spirulina , and about 150 milligrams of the second component of  Spirulina.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the hematopoietic stem cells express CD34, CD133, or both. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising measuring the number of CD34+ stem cells in a sample from the subject. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the subject is a human subject. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the subject is healthy or has a chronic illness, traumatic injury, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, cardiac infarction, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cirrhosis of the liver, a digestive system disorder, a nervous system disorder, a lymph system disorder, a cardiovascular system disorder, an endocrine system disorder, a degenerative disease or is immunosuppressed. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15 , where stem cell homing is increased about 100% to about 500% in the subject as compared to a control. 
   
   
       24 . A method of mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells in a subject, comprising:
 administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 7 , thereby mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells in the subject.