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bioRxiv · 10.1101/184002

Polysaccharide-mediated synthesis of melanins from serotonin and other 5-hydroxy indoles

Vercruysse, K.·Clark, A.·Alatas, N.·Brooks, D.·Hamza, N.·Whalen, M.
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Abstract

As a continuation of our research on the melanin formation from catecholamines, we studied the polysaccharide-mediated oxidation of serotonin and other 5-hydroxy indoles into melanin-like materials. As for the catecholamines, we observed that many polysaccharides promote the oxidation of such compounds, particularly in the presence of Cu2+. The reactions were monitored using RP-HPLC and SEC techniques. Melanin-like materials were purified through dialysis and evaluated using UV_Vis and FT_IR spectroscopic techniques. One such material, synthesized from chondroitin sulfate type A and serotonin in the presence of Cu2+ was found to affect the release of IL-l{beta} and IL-6 cytokines from immune cells.

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Vercruysse, K., Clark, A., Alatas, N., Brooks, D., Hamza, N., Whalen, M.. 2017-09-07. Polysaccharide-mediated synthesis of melanins from serotonin and other 5-hydroxy indoles. https://doi.org/10.1101/184002

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