The efficient structure elucidation of minor components in heparin digests using microcoil NMR

Primary Structure of Glycans by NMR Spectroscopy

Glycans, carbohydrate molecules in the realm of biology, are present as biomedically important glycoconjugates and a characteristic aspect is that their structures in many instances are branched. In determining the primary structure of a glycan, the sugar components including the absolute configuration and ring form, anomeric configuration, linkage(s), sequence, and substituents should be elucidated. Solution state NMR spectroscopy offers a unique opportunity to resolve all these aspects at atomic resolution. During the last two decades, advancement of both NMR experiments and spectrometer hardware have made it possible to unravel carbohydrate structure more efficiently. These developments applicable to glycans include, inter alia, NMR experiments that reduce spectral overlap, use selective excitations, record tilted projections of multidimensional spectra, acquire spectra by multiple receivers, utilize polarization by fast-pulsing techniques, concatenate pulse-sequence modules to acquire several spectra in a single measurement, acquire pure shift correlated spectra devoid of scalar couplings, employ stable isotope labeling to efficiently obtain homo- and/or heteronuclear correlations, as well as those that rely on dipolar cross-correlated interactions for sequential information. Refined computer programs for NMR spin simulation and chemical shift prediction aid the structural elucidation of glycans, which are notorious for their limited spectral dispersion. Hardware developments include cryogenically cold probes and dynamic nuclear polarization techniques, both resulting in enhanced sensitivity as well as ultrahigh field NMR spectrometers with a ¹H NMR resonance frequency higher than 1 GHz, thus improving resolution of resonances. Taken together, the developments have made and will in the future make it possible to elucidate carbohydrate structure in great detail, thereby forming the basis for understanding of how glycans interact with other molecules.

Saturated tetrasaccharide profile of enoxaparin. An additional piece to the heparin biosynthesis puzzle

Enoxaparin, widely used antithrombotic drug, is a polydisperse glycosaminoglycan with highly microheterogeneous structure dictated by both parent heparin heterogeneity and depolymerization conditions. While the process-related modifications of internal and terminal sequences of enoxaparin have been extensively studied, very little is known about the authentic non-reducing ends (NRE). In the present study a multi-step isolation and thorough structural elucidation by NMR and LC/MS allowed to identify 16 saturated tetramers along with 23 unsaturated ones in the complex enoxaparin tetrasaccharide fraction. Altogether the elucidated structures represent a unique enoxaparin signature, whereas the composition of saturated tetramers provides a structural readout strictly related to the biosynthesis of parent heparin NRE. In particular, both glucuronic and iduronic acids were detected at the NRE of macromolecular heparin. The tetrasaccharides bearing glucosamine at the NRE are most likely associated with the heparanase hydrolytic action. High sulfation degree and 3-O-sulfation are characteristic for both types of NRE.

Methods for Measuring Exchangeable Protons in Glycosaminoglycans

Recent NMR studies of the exchangeable protons of GAGs in aqueous solution, including those of the amide, sulfamate, and hydroxyl moieties, have demonstrated potential for the detection of intramolecular hydrogen bonds providing insights into secondary structure preferences. GAG amide protons are observable by NMR over wide pH and temperature ranges; however, specific solution conditions are required to reduce the exchange rate of the sulfamate and hydroxyl protons and allow their detection by NMR. Building on the vast body of knowledge on detection of hydrogen bonds in peptides and proteins, a variety of methods can be used to identify hydrogen bonds in GAGs including temperature coefficient measurements, evaluation of chemical shift differences between oligo- and monosaccharides, and relative exchange rates measured through line shape analysis and EXSY spectra. Emerging strategies to allow direct detection of hydrogen bonds through heteronuclear couplings offer promise for the future. Molecular dynamic simulations are important in this effort both to predict and confirm hydrogen bond donors and acceptors.

The role of heparin/heparan sulphate in the IFN-γ-led Arena

IFN-γ (Interferon-gamma) is a pleiotropic cytokine. It is often involved in a variety of physiological processes by binding to the cell surface transmembrane receptor (IFN-γR) to initiate a series of signalling pathways that transmit external signals from cell surface receptors to the cell nucleus. Heparan sulphate (HS), a highly sulphated linear polysaccharide, is ubiquitous on the mammalian cell surface and extracellular matrix. Electrostatic interactions can be generated between the highly sulphated HS region and specific basic amino acid residues in the IFN-γ structure, thereby detaining IFN-γ on the cell surface, and the concentration of IFN-γ on the cell surface is thus, changed. IFN-γ retained on the cell surface will optimize the binding of IFN-γ to the transmembrane receptor resulting in high efficiency signalling. Heparin is a glycosaminoglycan with a structure similar to HS. The structural similarity provides a basis for modelling exogenous heparin dependence for interference with IFN-γ function. This model can be summarized as follows: First, the competitive binding effect; heparin bound to cytokines by competing with membrane-associated HS, causes a decrease in cytokine concentration on the cell surface. Second, the principle of priority occupancy; heparin can occupy the receptor binding site on cytokines, partially preventing the IFN-γ-IFN-γR interaction. These two models interfere with IFN-γ signal transmission. To decipher the mechanism by which heparin influences IFN-γ activity, studies of the structure-activity relationship are in progress. This paper summarizes research progress on the IFN-γ signalling pathway, heparin interference with IFN-γ activity and the structure-activity relationship between heparin and IFN-γ.

Recent innovations in the structural analysis of heparin

Heparin, the widely used anticoagulant drug, is unusual among major pharmaceutical agents being neither single chemical entity nor a defined mixture of compounds. Its composition, while conforming to approximate average disaccharide composition or sulfation levels, exhibits heterogeneity and variability depending on the source, as well as its geographical origin. Furthermore, individual polysaccharide chains, whose physico-chemical properties are extremely similar, cannot be separated with current state-of-the-art techniques, presenting a challenge to those interested in the quality control of heparin, in ensuring its provenance and safety, and those with an interest in investigating the relationships between its structure and biological activity. The review consists of two main sections: The first is the Introduction, comprising (i) The History, Occurrence and Use of Heparin and (ii) Approaches to Structure-Activity Relationships. The second section is Improved Techniques for Structural Analysis, comprising; (i) Separation and Identification, (ii) Spectroscopic Methods, (iii) Enzymatic Approaches and (iv) Other Physico-Chemical Approaches. The ~60 references cover recent technological advances in the study of heparin structural analysis, largely since 2010.

Methods for measuring exchangeable protons in glycosaminoglycans

Recent NMR studies of the exchangeable protons of GAGs in aqueous solution, including those of the amide, sulfamate, and hydroxyl moieties, have demonstrated potential for the detection of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, providing insights into secondary structure preferences. GAG amide protons are observable by NMR over wide pH and temperature ranges; however, specific solution conditions are required to reduce the exchange rate of the sulfamate and hydroxyl protons and allow their detection by NMR. Building on the vast body of knowledge on detection of hydrogen bonds in peptides and proteins, a variety of methods can be used to identify hydrogen bonds in GAGs including temperature coefficient measurements, evaluation of chemical shift differences between oligo- and monosaccharides, and relative exchange rates measured through line shape analysis and EXSY spectra. Emerging strategies to allow direct detection of hydrogen bonds through heteronuclear couplings offer promise for the future. Molecular dynamic simulations are important in this effort both to predict and confirm hydrogen bond donors and acceptors.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis and structural characterization of 2-O-sulfated glucuronic acid-containing heparan sulfate hexasaccharides

Heparan sulfate and heparin are highly sulfated polysaccharides that consist of a repeating disaccharide unit of glucosamine and glucuronic or iduronic acid. The 2-O-sulfated iduronic acid (IdoA2S) residue is commonly found in heparan sulfate and heparin; however, 2-O-sulfated glucuronic acid (GlcA2S) is a less abundant monosaccharide (∼<5% of total saccharides). Here, we report the synthesis of three GlcA2S-containing hexasaccharides using a chemoenzymatic approach. For comparison purposes, additional IdoA2S-containing hexasaccharides were synthesized. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses were performed to obtain full chemical shift assignments for the GlcA2S- and IdoA2S-hexasaccharides. These data show that GlcA2S is a more structurally rigid saccharide residue than IdoA2S. The antithrombin (AT) binding affinities of a GlcA2S- and an IdoA2S-hexasaccharide were determined by affinity co-electrophoresis. In contrast to IdoA2S-hexasaccharides, the GlcA2S-hexasaccharide does not bind to AT, confirming that the presence of IdoA2S is critically important for the anticoagulant activity. The availability of pure synthetic GlcA2S-containing oligosaccharides will allow the investigation of the structure and activity relationships of individual sites in heparin or heparan sulfate.

Nuclear magnetic resonance at the picomole level of a DNA adduct

We investigate the limit of detection for obtaining NMR data of a DNA adduct using modern microscale NMR instrumentation, once the adduct has been isolated at the picomole level. Eighty nanograms (130 pmol) of a DNA adduct standard, N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene 5'-monophosphate (AAF-dGMP), in 1.5 μL of D₂O with 10% methanol-d₄, in a vial, was completely picked up as a droplet suspended in a fluorocarbon liquid and loaded efficiently into a microcoil probe. This work demonstrates a practical manual method of droplet microfluidic sample loading, previously demonstrated using automated equipment, which provides a severalfold advantage over conventional flow injection. Eliminating dilution during injection and confining the sample to the observed volume produce the full theoretical mass sensitivity of a microcoil, comparable to that of a microcryo probe. With 80 ng, an NMR spectrum acquired over 40 h showed all of the resonances seen in a standard spectrum of AAF-dGMP, with a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 10, despite broadening due to previously noted effects of conformational exchange. Even with this broadening to 5 Hz, a two-dimensional total correlation spectroscopy spectrum was acquired on 1.6 μg in 18 h. This work helps to define the utility of NMR in combination with other analytical methods for the structural characterization of a small amount of a DNA adduct.

Characterizing the microstructure of heparin and heparan sulfate using N-sulfoglucosamine 1H and 15N NMR chemical shift analysis

Heparin and heparan sulfate (HS) are members of a biologically important group of highly anionic linear polysaccharides called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Because of their structural complexity, the molecular-level characterization of heparin and HS continues to be a challenge. The work presented herein describes an emerging approach for the analysis of unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins, as well as porcine and human-derived HS. This approach utilizes the untapped potential of (15)N NMR to characterize these preparations through detection of the NH resonances of N-sulfo-glucosamine residues. The sulfamate group (1)H and (15)N chemical shifts of six GAG microenvironments were assigned based on the critical comparison of selectively modified heparin derivatives, NMR measurements for a library of heparin-derived oligosaccharide standards, and an in-depth NMR analysis of the low molecular weight heparin enoxaparin through systematic investigation of the chemical exchange properties of NH resonances and residue-specific assignments using the [(1)H,(15)N] HSQC-TOCSY experiment. The sulfamate microenvironments characterized in this study include GlcNS(6S)-UA(2S), ΔUA(2S)-GlcNS(6S), GlcNS(3S)(6S)-UA(2S), GlcNS-UA, GlcNS(6S)-red(α), and 1,6-anhydro GlcNS demonstrating the utility of [(1)H,(15)N] HSQC NMR spectra to provide a spectroscopic fingerprint reflecting the composition of intact GAGs and low molecular weight heparin preparations.

Sulfamate proton solvent exchange in heparin oligosaccharides: evidence for a persistent hydrogen bond in the antithrombin-binding pentasaccharide Arixtra

Sulfamate groups (NHSO(3)(-)) are important structural elements in the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) heparin and heparan sulfate (HS). In this work, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) line-shape analysis is used to explore the solvent exchange properties of the sulfamate NH groups within heparin-related mono-, di-, tetra- and pentasaccharides as a function of pH and temperature. The results of these experiments identified a persistent hydrogen bond within the Arixtra (fondaparinux sodium) pentasaccharide between the internal glucosamine sulfamate NH and the adjacent 3-O-sulfo group. This discovery provides new insights into the solution structure of the Arixtra pentasaccharide and suggests that 3-O-sulfation of the heparin N-sulfoglucosamine (GlcNS) residues pre-organize the secondary structure in a way that facilitates binding to antithrombin-III. NMR studies of the GlcNS NH groups can provide important information about heparin structure complementary to that available from NMR spectral analysis of the carbon-bound protons.

A closer look at the nitrogen next door: 1H-15N NMR methods for glycosaminoglycan structural characterization

Recently, experimental conditions were presented for the detection of the N-sulfoglucosamine (GlcNS) NHSO(3)(-) or sulfamate (1)H and (15)N NMR resonances of the pharmaceutically and biologically important glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparin in aqueous solution. In the present work, we explore further the applicability of nitrogen-bound proton detection to provide structural information for GAGs. Compared to the detection of (15)N chemical shifts of aminosugars through long-range couplings using the IMPACT-HNMBC pulse sequence, the more sensitive two-dimensional (1)H-(15)N HSQC-TOCSY experiments provided additional structural data. The IMPACT-HNMBC experiment remains a powerful tool as demonstrated by the spectrum measured for the unsubstituted amine of 3-O-sulfoglucosamine (GlcN(3S)), which cannot be observed with the (1)H-(15)N HSQC-TOCSY experiment due to the fast exchange of the amino group protons with solvent. The (1)H-(15)N HSQC-TOCSY NMR spectrum reported for the mixture of model compounds GlcNS and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) demonstrate the broad utility of this approach. Measurements for the synthetic pentasaccharide drug Arixtra® (Fondaparinux sodium) in aqueous solution illustrate the power of this NMR pulse sequence for structural characterization of highly similar N-sulfoglucosamine residues in GAG-derived oligosaccharides.