Synthesis, Conformational Analysis and Comparative Protein Binding of a Galabioside and Its Thioglycoside Analogues

Epoxide-Mediated Trans-Thioglycosylation and Application to the Synthesis of Oligosaccharides Related to the Capsular Polysaccharides of C. jejuni HS:4

The enzyme-resistant thioglycosides are highly valuable immunogens because of their enhanced metabolic stability. We report the first synthesis of a family of thiooligosaccharides related to the capsular polysaccharides (CPS) of Campylobacter jejuni HS:4 for potential use in conjugate vaccines. The native CPS structures of the pathogen consist of a challenging repeating disaccharide formed with β(1→4)-linked 6-deoxy-β-D-ido-heptopyranoside and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine; the rare 6-deoxy-ido-heptopyranosyl backbone and β-anomeric configuration of the former monosaccharide makes the synthesis of this family of antigens very challenging. So far, no synthesis of the thioanalogs of the CPS antigens have been reported. The unprecedented synthesis presented in this work is built on an elegant approach by using β-glycosylthiolate as a glycosyl donor to open the 2,3-epoxide functionality of pre-designed 6-deoxy-β-D-talo-heptopyranosides. Our results illustrated that this key trans-thioglycosylation can be designed in a modular and regio and stereo-selective manner. Built on the success of this novel approach, we succeeded the synthesis of a family of thiooligosaccharides including a thiohexasaccharide which is considered to be the desired antigen length and complexity for immunizations. We also report the first direct conversion of base-stable but acid-labile 2-trimethylsilylethyl glycosides to glycosyl-1-thioacetates in a one-pot manner.

Carbohydrate-Lectin Interactions: An Unexpected Contribution to Affinity

Uropathogenic E. coli exploit PapG-II adhesin for infecting host cells of the kidney; the expression of PapG-II at the tip of bacterial pili correlates with the onset of pyelonephritis in humans, a potentially life-threatening condition. It was envisaged that blocking PapG-II (and thus bacterial adhesion) would provide a viable therapeutic alternative to conventional antibiotic treatment. In our search for potent PapG-II antagonists, we observed an increase in affinity when tetrasaccharide 1, the natural ligand of PapG-II in human kidneys, was elongated to hexasaccharide 2, even though the additional Siaα(2-3)Gal extension is not in direct contact with the lectin. ITC studies suggest that the increased affinity results from partial desolvation of nonbinding regions of the hexasaccharide; this is ultimately responsible for perturbation of the outer hydration layers. Our results are in agreement with previous observations and suggest a general mechanism for modulating carbohydrate-protein interactions based on nonbinding regions of the ligand.

Synthesis and conformational analysis of neoglycoconjugates derived from O- and S-glucose

Using olefin metathesis as a key step, four neoglycoconjugates incorporating α-O-glucose, α-S-glucose or β-S-glucose as a carbohydrate unit and L-serine or L-cysteine as an amino acid moiety have been synthesized. The four-atom carbon spacer allows the carbohydrate to explore a wide-ranging conformational space, which may have important implications for the molecular recognition of these molecules.

Stereocontrolled 1-S-glycosylation and comparative binding studies of photoprobe-thiosaccharide conjugates with their O-linked analogs

The use of thioglycosides and other glycan derivatives with anomeric sulfur linkages is gaining increasing interest, both in synthesis and in various biological contexts. Herein, we demonstrate the occurrence and circumvention of anomerization during 1-S-glycosylation reactions, and present highly efficient and stereocontrolled syntheses of a series of photoprobe-thiosaccharide conjugates. Mutarotation of glycosyl thiols proved to be the origin of the anomeric mixtures formed, and kinetic effects could be used to circumvent anomerization. The synthesized carbohydrate conjugates were then evaluated by both solution- and solid-phase-based techniques. Both binding results showed that the S-linked glyco-sides interact with their cognate lectins comparably to the corresponding O-analogs in the present cases, thus demonstrating the reliability of the solid-support platform built upon our photo-initiated carbohydrate immobilization method for probing protein bindings, and showing the potential of combining these two means for studying carbohydrate-protein interactions.

Effects of oxygen–sulfur substitution on glycosaminoglycan-priming naphthoxylosides

Three series of sulfur-containing analogs to the selectively antiproliferative 2-(6-hydroxynaphthyl) beta-D-xylopyranoside were synthesized and their biological properties investigated. A short, general route to hydroxynaphthyl disulfides from dihydroxynaphthalenes was developed to utilize the disulfide bond as a sulfur-selective protecting group to enable the orthogonal protection of hydroxyls and thiols. The results indicate that hydrophobic, uncharged oxygen-sulfur substituted naphthoxylosides are taken up by cells and initiate priming of GAG chains to a greater extent compared to the oxygen analogs. No correlation between priming ability and antiproliferative activity was observed.

Chemical and Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of S-Linked Ganglioside Analogues and Their Protein Conjugates for Use as Immunogens

Analogues of the tumor-associated gangliosides GM(3) and GM(2) containing terminal S-linked neuraminic acid residues and an amino terminated, truncated ceramide homologue have been synthesized and conjugated to a protein. The synthesis involved coupling of a S-linked sialyl alpha(2-->3) galactose disaccharide with a glucosyl sphingosine analogue, followed by elaboration and deprotection to give amino-terminated glycosyl ceramide 1. Glycosyltransferase-catalyzed extension of the trisaccharide 1 provided access to the modified GM(2) tetrasaccharide 2 or sulphur-containing GD(3) analogue 30. Owing to their potentially enhanced resistance to endogenous exo-glycoside hydrolases and their inherent non-self character, carbohydrate antigens containing non-reducing terminal thioglycosidic linkages may be more immunogenic than O-linked antigens and may stimulate the production of antibodies capable of recognizing naturally occurring oligosaccharides. Our initial results suggest that in fact these antigens are viable immunogens and furthermore, that immune sera cross reacts with O-gangliosides in the context of a heterologous glycoprotein conjugate.

Conformational studies on phenyl thioglycosides: a remote effect on disaccharide linkage by phenyl aglycons attenuates recognition of galabiosides by a bacterial adhesin

Phenyl S-galabiosides display altered conformational properties, as compared to phenyl O-galabiosides, characterised by a remote effect on the galabiose intersaccharidic glycoside bond by the phenyl aglycon, resulting in significantly lowered affinity for the PapG class II adhesin of uropathogenic E. coli.

The unique solution structure and immunochemistry of the Candida albicans beta -1,2-mannopyranan cell wall antigens

Synthetic oligomers of the antigenic Candida albicans (1-->2)-beta-mannopyranans adopt a compact solution conformation that leads to numerous inter-residue nuclear Overhauser effects, including unprecedented nuclear Overhauser effects between n and n + 3 residues. In excellent agreement with experimentally determined distances, unrestrained molecular dynamics point to a single family of conformations that approximate a compact helical motif with a three-residue repeat for this unique homopolymer. When the synthetic di- to hexasaccharides were employed as inhibitors of monoclonal antibodies, which protect mice against a lethal dose of the yeast pathogen, a novel pattern of inhibitor activity was observed. Instead of the paradigm first reported by Kabat (Kabat, E. A. (1962) Fed. Proc. 21, 694-701; Kabat, E. A. (1966) J. Immunol. 97, 1-11), wherein homo-oligosaccharides exhibit increasing inhibitory activity with increasing size, here the maximum activity is reached for di- and trisaccharides and diminishes significantly for tetra-, penta-, and hexasaccharides. These immunochemical data correlate with the ordered conformation of the beta-1,2-linked mannopyranan and imply that a uniquely small antigenic determinant has potential as a component of synthetic conjugate vaccines against Candida albicans.

Synthesis of S-linked glucosaminyl-4-thiohex-2-enopyranosides via allylic SN2' substitution of a tosylhexenose

Treatment of 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranose with 1,6-anhydro-3,4-dideoxy-2-O-p-toluenesulfonyl-beta-D-erythro-hex-3-enopyranose gave 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-1,6-anhydro-2,3-dideoxy-4-thio-beta-D-erythro-hex-2-enopyranose in 86% yield. Its 1,6-anhydride bond was cleaved with methanol to give a mixture of methyl glycosides (alpha/beta approximately 5:1), from which the alpha anomer was separated by crystallization and converted into its 6-acetate, 6-methanesulfonate, or deacetylated to obtain the corresponding free methyl thiodisaccharide. The structure of the new compounds was confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR spectra.

Thiooligosaccharides as tools for structural biology

Oligosaccharides in which at least one glycosidic oxygen atom is replaced with a sulfur atom can be routinely synthesized and act as competitive inhibitors of various glycoside hydrolases. Recent studies using both X-ray crystallography and other biophysical techniques provide structural insight into binding, recognition, and the catalytic mechanism of action of these enzymes.

Galabiosyl donors; efficient synthesis from 1,2,3,4, 6-penta-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranose

1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranose was transformed into phenyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (5) and 4-methoxyphenyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (8) in 73% (two steps) and 58% (three steps) yield, respectively. Glycosylation of the acceptor 8 with donor 5 using N-iodosuccinimide-trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as promoter furnished the galabioside 9 (8.8 g) in 95% yield. Further transformations provided in high yields anomerically-activated galabiosides (thioglycoside (1), trichloroacetimidate (2), and bromosugar (3)) suitable for use as glycosyl donors in syntheses of galabiose-containing oligosaccharides. Several of the compounds reported here are crystalline, which greatly simplified purifications.

Comparative 1H NMR study of hydroxy protons in galabioside and its S-linked 4-thiodisaccharide analogue in aqueous solution

The NMR data obtained from hydroxy protons have been used to investigate the presence and absence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in aqueous solutions of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl galabioside (alpha-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Galp-O(CH2)2SiMe3) and the S-linked 4-thiodisaccharide analogue. The data show that there is a weak hydrogen bond interaction between O-6H and O-2'H in galabioside, but not in the thio-analogue. The results are in good agreement with those reported for the substances in a Me2SO-d6 solution. It is also shown that the existence of a hydrogen bond can be quite easily monitored by comparing the NMR data of the hydroxy protons.

Conformational differences between Fuc(alpha 1-3) GlcNAc and its thioglycoside analogue

NOE measurements and molecular mechanics calculations have been performed to study the conformational behaviour of Fuc(alpha 1-3)GlcNAc and its thioglycoside analogue in solution. Experimental data show that, in contrast with the natural O-disaccharide, which is basically monoconformational, the S-analogue shows two conformational families, namely syn and anti.

Synthesis of some amino and carboxy analogs of galabiose; evaluation as inhibitors of the pilus protein PapGJ96 from Escherichia coli

The 2'-amino-2'-deoxy, 6-amino-6-deoxy, and 6-carboxy analogs of the reference inhibitors 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl (alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-ss-D-galactopyranoside were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of the binding of the Escherichia coli-derived pilus protein PapGj96, using an ELISA assay. The inhibitory efficiencies (Krel; relative to the reference inhibitor) were: 157,13, and < 8, respectively. The results support the previously proposed combining site model, where the protein carries a negatively charged amino acid residue near HO-2' and HO-6 of the galabio-side.

NMR studies of the conformation of thiocellobiose bound to a beta-glucosidase from Streptomyces sp

The conformation of 4-thiocellobiose bound to beta-glucosidase from Streptomyces sp. has been studied by 1H-NMR transferred nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (TR-NOE). Thiocellobiose behaves as an inhibitor of this glucosidase when cellobiose is used as substrate. NOE measurements and molecular mechanics calculations have also been performed to estimate the probability distribution of conformers of thiocellobiose when free in solution. Experimental data show that, in contrast with the natural O-analogue, thiocellobiose presents three conformational families in the free state, namely syn, anti-psi and anti-phi, whilst only one of them (syn) is recognized by the enzyme.

Synthesis of Polycyclic Oxanorbornanes via a Sequential Epoxyhexopyranoside Ring Contraction-Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction

Ring contraction of methyl 2,3-anhydro-6-deoxy-6-(furfurylthio)-alpha-D-allopyranoside with LiBr/TMU in boiling toluene gave the corresponding alpha,beta-unsaturated furanosidic aldehyde 1 together with a small amount of the corresponding oxanorbornene Diels-Alder adduct 2. Pumping a mixture of heptane and Et(3)N slowly through a SiO(2) column containing 1 and 2 shifted the ratio strongly toward 2. The products were eluted from the column by EtOAc/EtOH and chromatographed to give pure 2 and 1 in 79% and 15% yield, respectively. Compound 2 was submitted to a number of oxidations and reductions, which gave the oxanorbornanes 4-15. The structures were determined by 2D (1)H and (13)C NMR techniques and by a single-crystal X-ray investigation of compound 5.

PapG adhesin from E. coli J96 recognizes the same saccharide epitope when present on whole bacteria and as isolated protein

Purified PapG adhesin from the genetically well-defined uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain J96, as well as whole bacteria, were bound to microtiter plates that carried covalently bound globotetraose and galabiose. The binding was inhibited by soluble saccharide derivatives corresponding to the glycolipids, including all di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentasaccharide fragments of the Forssman antigen and all monodeoxy analogues of galabiose. Analysis of the inhibition pattern showed no significant difference between purified adhesin and whole bacteria. The glucose unit at the reducing end of the natural saccharides was detrimental to PapG binding since deletion of the glucose unit increased the inhibitory power 10-20 fold. The five hydroxyl groups HO-6, -2', -3', -4', -6' of the galabiose unit were shown to be important for PapG binding, presumably via intermolecular hydrogen bonds.