Modified pectin
View Patent ↗A modified pectin consists essentially of neutral sugar sequences with a low degree of branching capable of preventing tumor cell migration and cell to cell and cell to substratum adhesion.
1. A method for treating the metastasis of a tumor cell in an animal comprising:
I. preparing a modified pectin by:
a. providing a quantity of pectin, said pectin comprising a rhamnogalacturan backbone having side chains of neutral sugars dependent therefrom;
b. maintaining the pectin at an alkaline pH for a time sufficient to disrupt the rhamnogalacturan backbone whereby a depolymerized pectin is obtained;
c. maintaining the depolymerized pectin at an acidic pH for a time sufficient to break the side chains of neutral sugars into smaller units having an average molecular weight of 10.2 kd as determined by viscosity measurements at 26° C., whereby said modified pectin is obtained; and
II. contacting said tumor cell with said modified pectin.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a quantity of pectin comprises dissolving said pectin in a solvent to obtain a solution of pectin.
3. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the step maintaining the pectin at an alkaline pH comprises maintaining the solution of pectin at a pH of at least 10.
4. A method as in claim 3 , further comprising maintaining said solution of pectin at a pH of at least 10 for approximately 30 minutes.
5. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the step of maintaining the depolymerized pectin at an acidic pH comprises maintaining the depolymerized pectin at a pH of approximately 3.
6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the depolymerized pectin is maintained at a pH of approximately 3 for 10 to 24 hours.
7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of preparing a modified pectin comprises the further step of neutralizing the modified pectin to a pH of approximately 6.3.
8. A method as in claim 7 , comprising the further steps of washing and dehydrating the modified pectin so as to prepare a final solution comprising approximately 5-10% by weight of said weight of said modified pectin.
9. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the tumor cell with the modified pectin comprises injecting the modified pectin into the animal.
10. A method for treating the metastasis of a melanoma cell in an animal comprising:
I. preparing a modified pectin by:
a. dissolving a quantity of pectin in a solvent, said pectin comprising a rhamnogalacturan backbone having side chains of neutral sugars dependent therefrom;
b. maintaining the solution of pectin at an alkaline pH for a time sufficient to disrupt the rhamnogalacturan backbone, whereby a depolymerized pectin is obtained;
c. maintaining the depolymerized pectin at an acidic pH for a time sufficient to break the side chains of neutral sugars into smaller units having an average molecular weight of 10.2 kd as determined by viscosity measurements at 26° C., whereby said modified pectin is obtained; and
II. contacting said melanoma cell with said modified pectin.