Inositolphosphoglycan mediators structurally related to glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchors: synthesis, structure and biological activity

Convergent Synthesis of a GPI Containing an Acylated Inositol

A GPI of sperm CD52 was synthesized by a highly convergent procedure, representing the first chemical synthesis of a complex GPI having an acylated inositol. The presence of a large acyl group resulted in unusual properties and reactions of the relevant intermediates, which gave rise to a number of problems. To overcome the problems and achieve the target molecule, a new synthetic strategy was developed. First, the pseudodisaccharide of 2-O-palmitoylinositol was phospholipidated, and then the trimannose segment and the phosphoethanolamine group were sequentially attached. Global deprotection eventually afforded the sperm CD52 GPI. The method may be useful for the synthesis of other GPIs having an acylated inositol.

A mild and convenient indium(III) chloride-catalyzed synthesis of thioglycosides

The efficiency of glycosidation reactions generally involves a high chemical yield, as well as high/complete stereo- and regioselectivity. All these depend on the compatibility of the reactivity of glycosyl donors and acceptors. Among glycosyl donors, thioglycosides are widely used because of their high degree of stability in many organic reactions. Although there are number of methods available for the preparation of thioglycosides, all of them have one or more disadvantages, especially concerning the time factor and cumbersome workup procedures. Here we report a convenient and high-yielding method for the preparation of thioglycosides.

Isolation, structure, synthesis, and bioactivity of a novel putative insulin mediator. A galactosamine chiro-inositol pseudo-disaccharide Mn2+ chelate with insulin-like activity

We isolated from beef liver a putative insulin mediator termed INS-2, 1. Its structure was determined to be a novel inositol glycan pseudo-disaccharide Mn(2+) chelate containing D-chiro-inositol 2a (as pinitol) and galactosamine. Purification methods were scaled up from those previously reported to isolate an inositol glycan with similar composition from rat liver.(1) Structure of the beef liver glycan was determined by degradative chemistry and 2D NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by chemical synthesis. Its structure is 4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol 1 (INS-2, Figure 1). Its role as an insulin mimetic was demonstrated by its action in vivo to decrease elevated blood glucose injected to low-dose streptozotocin diabetic rats in a stereospecific and dose-dependent manner. The pseudo-disaccharide also stimulated [(14)C]glucose incorporation into [(14)C]glycogen in a dose-dependent manner in H4IIE hepatoma cells in the presence of insulin, thus enhancing insulin action. Only when chelated to Mn(2+) did it activate pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a beta-1,4-linked inositol glycan consisting of D-chiro-inositol and galactosamine isolated from animal tissues with insulin mimetic actions.

First total synthesis of a GPI-anchored peptide

A GPI-anchored dipeptide of sperm CD52 antigen was prepared through a convergent synthesis. First, the dipeptide with its C-terminus free and the GPI with its nonreducing end phosphoethanolamine bearing a free amino group were synthesized separately. Then, the two building blocks were coupled with use of EDC/HOBt as the condensation reagent. Finally, the GPI-anchored peptide was deprotected to give the target molecule 1.

Concerning the origin of the high beta-selectivity of glycosidation reactions of 2-deoxy-2-iodo-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidates

[structure: see text] Studies on the glycosidation reactions of conformationally constrained glycosyl imidates 8a and 8b were performed to evaluate the possible involvement of "conformationally inverted" oxonium ion intermediates in glycosidation reactions with 2-deoxy-2-iodo-glucopyranosyl donors. The mechanistic implications of this study are discussed, and intermediates 23 and 24 are invoked to rationalize the observed beta-selectivities.

Convergent synthesis of an inner core GPI of sperm CD52

An inner core of the GPI anchor of sperm CD52 antigens was synthesized by a highly convergent process using specially modified inositol, glucosamine and phospholipid as key building blocks. This paper also presents a new and efficient procedure to prepare 1,2,6-differentiated derivatives of inositol for GPI syntheses.

Synthesis of inositol glycan cyclic phosphates

An efficient synthesis of tri-, tetra-, and pentasaccharide cyclic phosphates 1-5, structurally related to natural inositol phosphate glycans, is reported. The title compounds were assembled by PhSeOTf-promoted glycosylation of the known glucosamine precursor, t-butyldimethylsilyl 2-azido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8) with protected 1-methylthio mono-, di-, and trimannosides 7a-c, and, after conversion into glycosyl fluorides, Cp2ZrCl2- AgOTf-promoted glycosylation of differentially protected optically pure 1D-myo-inositol 11. The syntheses were completed by installing the cyclic phosphate moieties with methylpyridinium dichlorophosphate and finally, removal of all protecting groups by dissolving-metal reduction.