Convenient use of non-malodorous thioglycosyl donors for the assembly of multivalent globo- and isoglobosyl trisaccharides

Concise and Reliable Syntheses of Glycodendrimers via Self-Activating Click Chemistry: A Robust Strategy for Mimicking Multivalent Glycan-Pathogen Interactions

Individual interactions between glycans and their receptors are usually weak, although these weak interactions can combine to realize a strong interaction (multivalency). Such multivalency plays a crucial role in the recognition of host cells by pathogens. Glycodendrimers are useful materials for the reconstruction of this multivalent interaction. However, the introduction of a large number of glycans to a dendrimer core is fraught with difficulties. We herein synthesized antipathogenic glycodendrimers using the self-activating click chemistry (SACC) method developed by our group. The excellent reactivity of SACC enabled the efficient preparation of sialyl glycan and Gb3 glycan dendrimers, which exhibited strong avidity toward hemagglutinin on influenza virus and Shiga toxin B subunit produced by Escherichia coli, respectively. We demonstrated the usefulness of SACC-based glycodendrimers as antipathogenic compounds.

Synthetic construction of sugar-amino acid hybrid polymers involving globotriaose or lactose and evaluation of their biological activities against Shiga toxins produced by Escherichia coli O157:H7

Synthetic assembly of sugar moieties and amino acids in order to create "sugar-amino acid hybrid polymers" was accomplished by means of simple radical polymerization of carbohydrate monomers having an amino acid-modified polymerizable aglycon. Amines derived from globotriaoside and lactoside as glycoepitopes were condensed with known carbobenzyloxy derivatives, including Z-Gly, Z-l-Ala and Z-β-Ala, which had appropriate spacer ability and a chiral center to afford fully protected sugar-amino acid hybrid compounds in good yields. After deprotection followed by acryloylation, the water-soluble glycomonomers were polymerized with or without acrylamide in the presence of a radical initiator in water to give corresponding copolymers and homopolymers, which were shown by SEC analysis to have high molecular weights. Evaluation of the biological activities of the glycopolymers against Shiga toxins (Stxs) was carried out, and the results suggested that glycopolymers having highly clustered globotriaosyl residues had high affinity against Stx2 (K_D = 2.7∼4.0 µM) even though other glycopolymers did not show any affinity or showed very weak binding affinity. When Stx1 was used for the same assay, all of the glycopolymers having globotriaosyl residues showed high affinity (K_D = 0.30∼1.74 µM). Interestingly, couple of glycopolymers having lactosyl moieties had weaker binding affinity against Stx1. In addition, when cytotoxicity assays were carried out for both Stxs, glycopolymers having highly clustered globotriaosyl residues showed higher affinity than that of the copolymers, and only highly clustered-type glycopolymers displayed neutralization potency against Stx2.

Orthogonal protection of saccharide polyols through solvent-free one-pot sequences based on regioselective silylations

tert-Butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) and tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) are alcohol protecting groups widely employed in organic synthesis in view of their compatibility with a wide range of conditions. Their regioselective installation on polyols generally requires lengthy reactions and the use of high boiling solvents. In the first part of this paper we demonstrate that regioselective silylation of sugar polyols can be conducted in short times with the requisite silyl chloride and a very limited excess of pyridine (2-3 equivalents). Under these conditions, that can be regarded as solvent-free conditions in view of the insolubility of the polyol substrates, the reactions are faster than in most examples reported in the literature, and can even be further accelerated with a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB). The strategy proved also useful for either the selective TBDMS protection of secondary alcohols or the fast per-O-trimethylsilylation of saccharide polyols. In the second part of the paper the scope of the silylation approach was significantly extended with the development of unprecedented "one-pot" and "solvent-free" sequences allowing the regioselective silylation/alkylation (or the reverse sequence) of saccharide polyols in short times. The developed methodologies represent a very useful and experimentally simple tool for the straightforward access to saccharide building-blocks useful in organic synthesis.

Bis(β-lactosyl)-[60]fullerene as novel class of glycolipids useful for the detection and the decontamination of biological toxins of the Ricinus communis family

Glycosyl-[60]fullerenes were first used as decontaminants against ricin, a lactose recognition proteotoxin in the Ricinus communis family. A fullerene glycoconjugate carrying two lactose units was synthesized by a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction between C₆₀ and the azide group in 6-azidohexyl β-lactoside per-O-acetate. A colloidal aqueous solution with brown color was prepared from deprotected bis(lactosyl)-C₆₀ and was found stable for more than 6 months keeping its red color. Upon mixing with an aqueous solution of Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA₁₂₀), the colloidal solution soon caused precipitations, while becoming colorless and transparent. In contrast, a solution of concanavalin A (Con A) caused no apparent change, indicating that the precipitation was caused specifically by carbohydrate–protein interactions. This notable phenomenon was quantified by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and the results were discussed in terms of detection and decontamination of the deadly biological toxin in the Ricinus communis family.

Synthesis of an Aminooxy Derivative of the Trisaccharide Globotriose Gb3

The synthesis of α-aminooxy trisaccharide moiety [α-d-Gal-(1,4)-β-d-Gal-(1,4)-β-d-Glc-α-aminooxy], related to the cell surface globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) receptor of the B subunit of the AB₅ Shiga toxin of Shigella dysenteriae, has been synthesized for the first time in 11 steps with a 15% overall isolated yield. A highlight of this work entails utilizing chemically compatible synthetic transformations, including those related to glycosylation, incorporative of the succinimidyl moiety as a precursor to the aminooxy Gb3 derivative. The fully deprotected trisaccharide aminooxy compound was reacted with a carbonyl compound leading to oxime formation in quantitative yield underscoring the importance for future glyco-conjugations.

Molecular design, synthesis and bioactivity of glycosyl hydrazine and hydrazone derivatives: notable effects of the sugar moiety

Assuming that the water solubility of our previous hydrazone derivatives would improve after modification with sugars while keeping or modulating their notable biological activities, we designed and synthesized some glycosyl hydrazine and hydrazone derivatives. Bioassay results indicated that the antitumor activity of our previously prepared hydrazones reduced or disappeared after modification with sugars. On the contrary, some glycosyl derivatives displayed much better antifungal activity against selected fungi. Obviously, a small sugar can change the biological activity of hydrazones significantly.

Monovalent Gb3-/Gb2-derivatives conjugated with a phosphatidyl residue: a novel class of Shiga toxin-neutralizing agent

Shiga toxin (Stx) exerts toxic activity by binding to glycosphingolipids, mainly globotriaosyl (Gb(3)) ceramide, on the surface of target cells. The inhibition of toxin-receptor binding is a promising therapeutic approach to prevent Stx-mediated diseases. In this study, we synthesized monovalent Stx-ligands of phosphatidylethanolamine dipalmitoyl-Gb(3) (Gb(3)-PEDP) and galabiosyl (Gb(2))-PEDP and we examined their neutralizing activity against Stx-1 and Stx-2 in vitro. Both Gb(3)-PEDP and Gb(2)-PEDP strongly neutralized the cytotoxicity of Stx-1 and Stx-2. It is likely that the mechanism of neutralization involved formation of liposomes and consequently clustering of sugar units. We propose monovalent Gb(3)-/Gb(2)-derivatives conjugated with phosphatidyl residue as a novel class of Stx-neutralizing agent.

Neutralizing activity of polyvalent Gb3, Gb2 and galacto-trehalose models against Shiga toxins

Shiga toxin (Stx) is one of the most critical factors in the development of hemolytic uremic syndrome and other systemic complications following enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection. Substances neutralizing Stx by interfering with toxin-receptor binding have been explored as therapeutic candidates for EHEC infection. In this study, we examined globotriaosyl (Gb3), galabiosyl (Gb2) and galacto-trehalose, each of which was synthetically conjugated with a polyacrylamide backbone, for Stxneutralizing activity. Galacto-trehalose was designed as a Gb2 mimicking, unnatural Stx-ligand that was expected to show tolerance to enzymatic degradation in vivo. Galacto-trehalose copolymer showed neutralizing activity against Stx-1 but not Stx-2 in a HeLa cell cytotoxicity assay. It was thought that galactotrehalose copolymer could be a lead compound for the treatment of Stx-mediated diseases, although it requires modification to show neutralizing activity to Stx-2. The Gb3 copolymer with high sugar unit density showed stronger neutralizing activity against Stx-2 than those with lower density. However, the density-dependency of the neutralizing activity was less obvious against Stx-1. Intravenous administration of the Gb3 copolymer prevented death in mice lethally infected with Stx-1- and Stx-2-producing E. coli O157:H7. Thus, we demonstrated that the artificial Gb3 copolymer could neutralize Stx-1 and the more clinically relevant Stx-2 in vitro and effectively inhibit Stx toxicity in vivo.

Multi-component one-pot synthesis of the tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen Globo-H based on preactivation of thioglycosyl donors

Two efficient routes for the rapid assembly of the tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen Globo-H hexasaccharide 2 by a preactivation based iterative one-pot strategy are reported. The first method involves the sequential coupling of four glycosyl building blocks, leading to the desired hexasaccharide in 47% overall yield in one-pot synthesis. Although model studies on constructing the challenging Gal-alpha-(1-4)-Gal linkage in Gb3 trisaccharide yielded the desired alpha linkage almost exclusively, a similar approach to assemble the hexasaccharide led to the formation of a significant amount of beta anomer. As an alternative, the second synthesis utilized three components in one pot with the Gal-alpha-(1-4)-Gal linkage preformed, producing the desired hexasaccharide in a similar overall yield as the four component approach. Both methods demonstrate that oligosaccharides containing alpha and beta linkages within the same molecule can be constructed in one pot via a preactivation based approach with higher glyco-assembly efficiencies than the automated solid-phase synthesis strategy. Furthermore, because glycosylations can be carried out independent of anomeric reactivities of donors, it is not necessary to differentiate anomeric reactivities of building blocks through extensive protective group adjustment for chemoselective glycosylation. This confers great flexibilities in the building block design, allowing matching of the donor with the acceptor, leading to improved overall yield.

Synthesis of globo- and isoglobotriosides bearing a cinnamoylphenyl tag as novel electrophilic thiol-specific carbohydrate reagents

The galactosyl donor, 4,6-di-O-acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-D-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate, was efficiently coupled with regioselectively benzylated lactoside acceptors under standard conditions to stereoselectively afford the corresponding globotrioside and isoglobotrioside derivatives in very good yields. These glycosides were smoothly functionalized with a 6-(p-cinnamoylphenoxy)-hexyl tether tag as novel electrophilic thiol-specific carbohydrate reagents. Immobilization of the globotrioside conjugate to Thiopropyl Sepharose 6B for purification of B-subunit of Shiga toxin (StxB) and coupling of a model cysteine-containing protein (StxB-Z(n)-Cys) to the isoglobotrioside conjugate were both performed with high efficiency.

Carbosilane Dendrimers Bearing Globotriaoses: Syntheses of Globotrioasyl Derivative and Introduction into Carbosilane Dendrimers†

As an application of a one-pot reaction involving Birch reduction and subsequent S(N)2 reaction in liquid ammonia, synthetic assembly of trisaccharidic moieties of globotriaosyl ceramide onto carbosilane dendrimers was accomplished using tris(3-bromopropyl)phenylsilane and tris[tris(3-bromopropyl)silylpropyl]phenylsilane as the core scaffolds. The common globotriaosyl derivative having benzylsulfide functionality at the terminal of the aglycon was efficiently prepared from d-galactose and d-lactose as starting materials. The glycosyl donor derived from galactose and the glycosyl acceptor derived from lactose were condensed in the presence of silver triflate as the best promoter to provide corresponding trisaccharide with newly formed alpha-1-4 linkages in 90% yield. Fully benzylated protection of the trisaccharide was deprotected under the Birch reduction condition followed by acetylation to give an acetate in which alkene was converted into benzyl sulfide by radical addition of alpha-toluenethiol in high yields. On the other hand, carbosilane dendrimers were prepared from appropriate chlorosilanes as starting materials by a combination of hydrosylation followed by alkenylation. The terminal C=C double bonds of the carbosilanes were converted into corresponding alcohols by means of the usual hydroboration reaction, and the alcohols underwent further chemical manipulation to give carbosilane dendrimers with peripheral bromine atoms.

Carbosilane Dendrimers Bearing Globotriaoses: Construction of a Series of Carbosilane Dendrimers Bearing Globotriaoses

To enhance biological activities on the basis of the sugar cluster effect, a series of carbosilane dendrimers as core scaffolds for the construction of glycodendrimers was systematically synthesized from appropriate chlorosilanes by a combination of alkenylation and hydrosylation reactions. Those carbosilane dendrimers having terminal C=C double bonds underwent general hydroboration reactions to give corresponding primary polyols. Further transformations of the alcohols were then performed by mesylation followed by a displacement with NaBr to provide corresponding dendrimers with 4 to 36 bromine atoms at each terminal end. Assembly of trisaccharide moieties of globotriaosyl ceramide using alkyl halide-type carbosilane dendrimers as the core frame was conducted in liquid ammonia by a one-pot reaction involving selective removal of a benzyl group under the Birch reduction condition and subsequent S(N)2 reaction to yield a series of carbosilane dendrimers having appropriate numbers of trisaccharide moieties. These dendrimers have unique shapes and adequate numbers of terminal trisaccharide moieties. Some of the dendrimers showed unique biological activity against Stxs, which were produced by pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Design of multifunctional peptides expressing both antimicrobial activity and shiga toxin neutralization activity

We have designed novel short peptides expressing both antimicrobial and Shiga-toxin (Stx) neutralization activities by combining nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptides (RIRKKLR, PKKKRKV, and PRRRK) tandemly with globotriaoside (Gb3) mimic peptide (WHWTWL). These fusion peptides exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A peptide WHWTWLRIRKKLR (Trp-His-Trp-Thr-Trp-Leu-Arg-Ile-Arg-Lys-Lys-Leu-Arg), especially, exhibited about 100 times higher activity than the original NLS peptide. SPR analysis demonstrated that the binding of this peptide to both Stxs was strong: K(d) = 6.6 x 10(-6) to Stx-1 and 6.8 x 10(-6) to Stx-2. The in vitro assay against Stx-1 using HeLa cells showed that this peptide increased the survival rate of HeLa cells against the infection of Stx-1. The peptide has been found to maintain high antimicrobial activity, Stx neutralization activity, and no cytotoxicity at its concentration of 7.8-31.3 microg/mL (4.2-16.7 microM). The present peptide design has a prospect of developing potent multifunctional drugs to destroy proteinaceous toxin-producing bacteria and to simultaneously neutralize the toxins released by bacteriolysis.

One-pot α-glycosylation pathway via the generation in situ of α-glycopyranosyl imidates in N,N-dimethylformamide

Divergent pathways are disclosed in the activation of 2-O-benzyl-1-hydroxy sugars by a reagent combination of CBr4 and Ph3P, all of which afford one-pot alpha-glycosylation methods. When this reagent is used in CH2Cl2, the 1-hydroxy sugar is converted to the alpha-glycosyl bromide in a conventional way and leads to the one-pot alpha-glycosylation method based on a halide ion-catalytic mechanism. In either DMF or a mixture of DMF and CHCl3, however, alternative alpha-glycosyl species are generated. From the 1H and 13C NMR study of the products, as well as the reactions using Vilsmeier reagents [(CH3)2N+=CHX]X- (X=Br and Cl), these were identified as cationic alpha-glycopyranosyl imidates having either Br- or Cl- counter ion. The cationic alpha-glycosyl imidate (Br-), derived specifically in the presence of DMF, is more reactive than the alpha-glycosyl bromide and thus is responsible for the accelerated one-pot alpha-glycosylation. The one-pot alpha-glycosylation methodology performed in DMF was assessed also with different types of acceptor substrates including tertiary alcohols and an anomeric mixture of 1-OH sugars.

Large-scale chemical and chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a spacer-containing Pk-trisaccharide

The Pk-trisaccharide, linked to a solid carrier, is a potential agent for neutralization of shiga-like toxin in the gastrointestinal tract. Two approaches to the multigram-scale synthesis of a linkable Pk-trisaccharide derivative were therefore investigated. A four-step chemical synthesis yielded 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl beta-lactoside in 75% yield from lactose. Further conversion of this derivative through either multistep organic synthesis or one-step enzymatic galactosylation with UDP-galactose and recombinant alpha-1,4-galactosyltransferase gave the Pk-trisaccharide derivative 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside in 25% and 68% overall yields from commercial lactose, respectively.

Peptides binding to a Gb3 mimic selected from a phage library

Peptides binding to a Gb3 mimic were selected from 12-mer peptide library. The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a Gb3 mimic was formed on the gold surface, and biopanning was carried out with the phage display peptide library. After three rounds of biopanning, four individual sequences were obtained from 10 phage clones, and the selected peptides having the specific 7-mer sequence (FHENWPS) showed affinities to the Gb3 mimic as strong as to RCA120. Molecular dynamics calculations suggested that the peptides bound to the Gb3 mimic by hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding formation, and the cooperative interactions played an important role in the recognition. The Stx-1 binding was inhibited by the peptides.

Design and Synthesis of C3-Symmetric LewisX Antigen

[structure: see text] C(3)-Symmetric glycoconjugates carrying three equivalent Lewis(X) antigens or beta-lactosides were synthesized from p-nitrophenyl glycosides and trimesic acid via regio- and stereocontrolled glycosylation reactions. An (1)H NMR study has shown that the C(3)-symmetric glycoconjugates soluble in water provide useful probes to investigate the Ca(2+)-dependent Lewis(X)-Lewis(X) association.

Self-assembled monolayers of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) mimics: surface-specific affinity with shiga toxins

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of Gb3 mimics having different lengths of alkyl chains were prepared on gold surfaces, and their interactions with galactose-specific lectin (RCA(120)) and Shiga toxins (Stxs) were investigated by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in aqueous solutions. Their interaction with RCA(120) was enhanced owing to the "cluster effect," regardless of the alkyl chain length of the SAMs. The interaction with Stxs was dependent on the alkyl chain length of Gb3 mimics. Stx-1 and Stx-2 showed a stronger affinity to the Gb3C2 SAM with ethyl disulfide and to the Gb3C10 with decyl disulfide, respectively. Gb3 glycoconjugate polymer with no alkyl spacer inhibited the adsorption of Stx-1 to Gb3C10 SAM but did not inhibit the adsorption of Stx-2 to Gb3C10 SAM. The results suggest that the alkyl chain of the glycolipid takes part in the binding to Stx-2 but not to Stx-1, which is also supported by the computer simulation of Stx-1 with a Gb3 model substance.