Molecular cloning and functional analysis of HnSaratin from Hirudo nipponia

In order to finish a bloodmeal successfully, hematophagous organisms often stored a variety of anticoagulant proteins in their salivary glands, such as proteins that inhibit platelet aggregation. When they ingest a bloodmeal, these proteins are injected into the host to prevent the blood from clotting. As one of the origins of leeches used in traditional Chinese medicine, H. nipponia was proved to be clinically effective in treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study cloned the sequence of HnSaratin cDNA derived from salivary glands of H. nipponia. The sequence contains an open reading frame of 387 bp, encoding a protein of 128 amino acids containing a signal peptide of 21 amino acids. After removal of the signal peptide, the molecular mass of mature HnSaratin was 12.37 kDa, with a theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of 3.89. The N-terminal of mature HnSaratin was folded into a globular structure, in which 3 disulfide bonds, a ββαβββ topology and 2 Glu residues that binds collagenous Lys2 were located, and the C-terminal formed a flexible region. The fusion HnSaratin protein was obtained by a prokaryotic expression system. The protein showed anti-platelet aggregation activity, and was observed to prevent blood clotting in rats. The significant high expression of HnSaratin mRNA in salivary glands was induced by bloodmeal ingestion of H. nipponia. Briefly, our work provides theoretical basis for further development and utilization of H. nipponia.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Cloning of HnSaratin from Hirudo nipponia salivary glands — 128-aa mature protein of 12.37 kDa with 3 disulfide bonds and the beta-beta-alpha topology of saratins. Recombinant protein inhibits platelet aggregation and prevents blood clotting in rats; expression induced by blood meal.

Leech-derived molecules this paper discusses, each with a full profile in the ASH compound registry:

Узнайте, как это исследование связано с клинической практикой

More peer-reviewed studies in Фармакология секрета слюнных желёз.

• Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides — Hirunipins — Kumar et al. (2025)
• 434 Salivary Proteins — Integrated Proteomics of Hirudo medicinalis — Liu et al. (2019)
• Medicinal Leech Genome Assembly — Anticoagulant Gene Catalog — Kvist et al. (2020)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• Efficacy and Safety of Hirudotherapy for Improving Sperm Quality Parameters in Male Infertility: A Randomized Controlled Trial — Abtahi-Forooshani M et al. (2026)
• [Medicinal leeches and hirudotherapy] — Gödekmerdan A et al. (2011)
• PEROXIDATION OF SALIVA LIPIDS IN PATIENTS WITH POSTCOVID SYNDROME DURING HIRUDOTHERAPY — Serikbayeva S et al. (2024)
• Medicinal leech therapy in pain syndromes: a narrative review — Koeppen D, Aurich M, Rampp T (2014)
• Leech therapy in the treatment of a penile haematoma in a stallion — Nowicki A, Jaworska J, Baranski W (2021)
• Leech therapy (Hirudo medicinalis) attenuates testicular damages induced by testicular ischemia/reperfusion in an animal model — Davoodi F et al. (2021)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →