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Kofsky JM, Babulic JL, Boddington ME, De León González FV, Capicciotti CJ. Glycosyltransferases as versatile tools to study the biology of glycans. Glycobiology 2023; 33:888-910. [PMID: 37956415 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
All cells are decorated with complex carbohydrate structures called glycans that serve as ligands for glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) to mediate a wide range of biological processes. Understanding the specific functions of glycans is key to advancing an understanding of human health and disease. However, the lack of convenient and accessible tools to study glycan-based interactions has been a defining challenge in glycobiology. Thus, the development of chemical and biochemical strategies to address these limitations has been a rapidly growing area of research. In this review, we describe the use of glycosyltransferases (GTs) as versatile tools to facilitate a greater understanding of the biological roles of glycans. We highlight key examples of how GTs have streamlined the preparation of well-defined complex glycan structures through chemoenzymatic synthesis, with an emphasis on synthetic strategies allowing for site- and branch-specific display of glyco-epitopes. We also describe how GTs have facilitated expansion of glyco-engineering strategies, on both glycoproteins and cell surfaces. Coupled with advancements in bioorthogonal chemistry, GTs have enabled selective glyco-epitope editing of glycoproteins and cells, selective glycan subclass labeling, and the introduction of novel biomolecule functionalities onto cells, including defined oligosaccharides, antibodies, and other proteins. Collectively, these approaches have contributed great insight into the fundamental biological roles of glycans and are enabling their application in drug development and cellular therapies, leaving the field poised for rapid expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Kofsky
- Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, 90 Bader Lane, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Jonathan L Babulic
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada
| | - Marie E Boddington
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada
| | | | - Chantelle J Capicciotti
- Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, 90 Bader Lane, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Queen's University, 76 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada
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Johannes M, Reindl M, Gerlitzki B, Schmitt E, Hoffmann-Röder A. Synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel MUC1 glycopeptide conjugate vaccine candidate comprising a 4'-deoxy-4'-fluoro-Thomsen-Friedenreich epitope. Beilstein J Org Chem 2015; 11:155-161. [PMID: 25670999 PMCID: PMC4311645 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.11.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 01/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of selective anticancer vaccines that provide enhanced protection against tumor recurrence and metastasis has been the subject of intense research in the scientific community. The tumor-associated glycoprotein MUC1 represents a well-established target for cancer immunotherapy and has been used for the construction of various synthetic vaccine candidates. However, many of these vaccine prototypes suffer from an inherent low immunogenicity and are susceptible to rapid in vivo degradation. To overcome these drawbacks, novel fluorinated MUC1 glycopeptide-BSA/TTox conjugate vaccines have been prepared. Immunization of mice with the 4’F-TF-MUC1-TTox conjugate resulted in strong immune responses overriding the natural tolerance against MUC1 and producing selective IgG antibodies that are cross-reactive with native MUC1 epitopes on MCF-7 human cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Johannes
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians University, Butenandtstraße 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Reindl
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians University, Butenandtstraße 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Bastian Gerlitzki
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Geb. 708, D-55101 Mainz, Germany
| | - Edgar Schmitt
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Geb. 708, D-55101 Mainz, Germany
| | - Anja Hoffmann-Röder
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians University, Butenandtstraße 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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3
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Šardzík R, Green AP, Laurent N, Both P, Fontana C, Voglmeir J, Weissenborn MJ, Haddoub R, Grassi P, Haslam SM, Widmalm G, Flitsch SL. Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of O-Mannosylpeptides in Solution and on Solid Phase. J Am Chem Soc 2012; 134:4521-4. [DOI: 10.1021/ja211861m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Šardzík
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Anthony P. Green
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Nicolas Laurent
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Peter Both
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Carolina Fontana
- Department of Organic Chemistry,
Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Josef Voglmeir
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Martin J. Weissenborn
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Rose Haddoub
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Paola Grassi
- Division of Molecular Biosciences,
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Stuart M. Haslam
- Division of Molecular Biosciences,
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Göran Widmalm
- Department of Organic Chemistry,
Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sabine L. Flitsch
- School of Chemistry, Manchester
Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
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Schwardt O, Gao G, Visekruna T, Rabbani S, Gassmann E, Ernst B. Substrate Specificity and Preparative Use of Recombinant Rat ST3Gal III. J Carbohydr Chem 2004. [DOI: 10.1081/car-120030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Abstract
Based on structural information reported for the tumour-associated epithelial mucin MUC1, glycopeptides have been synthesized which contain tumour-associated saccharide antigens. such as the Thomsen-Friedenreich (T), TN or sialyl TN antigen. in combination with peptide sequences of the tandem repeat region of MUC1. Solid-phase syntheses have been carried out using N-Fmoc protected O-glycosyl serine and threonine building blocks and an allylic anchor which is stable to basic and acidic conditions, but can be cleaved under neutral conditions in a palladium(0)-catalysed allyl transfer reaction. In addition. a (2-3)sialyl T antigen threonine building block was prepared by a chemoenzymatic strategy and used in the synthesis of an N-terminal glycopeptide antigen of leukosialin (CD43). The proliferation of cytotoxic T cells could be induced using a construct consisting of a MUC1-glycopeptide antigen and a T cell epitope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horst Kunz
- Institut fuer Organische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
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Blixt O, Allin K, Pereira L, Datta A, Paulson JC. Efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of O-linked sialyl oligosaccharides. J Am Chem Soc 2002; 124:5739-46. [PMID: 12010048 DOI: 10.1021/ja017881+] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The tumor associated Tn (GalNAcalpha(1-1)-Thr/Ser)- and T (Galbeta(1-3)-GalNAcalpha(1-1)Thr/Ser)-antigens and their sialylated derivatives are present on the surface of many cancer cells. Preparative synthesis of these sialylated T- and Tn-structures has been achieved mainly from a chemical synthetic approach due to the lack of the required glycosyltransferases. We demonstrate a flexible and efficient chemoenzymatic approach for using recombinant sialyltransferases including a chicken GalNAcalpha2,6-sialyltransferase (chST6GalNAc I) and a porcine Galbeta(1-3)GalNAcalpha-2,3-sialyltransferase (pST3Gal I). Using these enzymes, the common O-linked sialosides Neu5Acalpha(2-6)GalNAcalpha(1-1)Thr, Galbeta(1-3)[Neu5Acalpha(2-6)]GalNAcalpha(1-1)Thr, Neu5Acalpha(2-3)Galbeta(1-3)GalNAcalpha(1-1)Thr, and Neu5Acalpha(2-3)Galbeta(1-3)[Neu5Acalpha(2-6)]GalNAcalpha(1-1)Thr were readily prepared at preparative scale. The chST6GalNAc I was found to require at least one amino acid (Thr/Ser) for optimal activity, and is thus an ideal catalyst for synthesis of synthetic glycopeptides and glycoconjugates with O-linked glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Blixt
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, MEM-L71, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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Hoh C, Dudziak G, Liese A. Optimization of the enzymatic synthesis of O-glycan core 2 structure by use of a genetic algorithm. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2002; 12:1031-4. [PMID: 11909710 DOI: 10.1016/s0960-894x(02)00087-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The enzymatic synthesis of Gal-beta 1,3[GlcNAc-beta 1,6]-GalNAc-alpha 1-OBn (core 2-Bn) using a multi-enzyme system consisting of a beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) from bovine testes and a recombinant core 2 beta 1,6-GlcNAc transferase (C2GnT, EC 2.4.1.102) was empirically optimized by the use of a genetic algorithm. After variation of seven relevant parameters and performance of 56 experiments, two local maxima regarding the selection criteria could be found after four generations of optimization. The selectivity of core 2-Bn formation showed values up to 90%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Hoh
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Biotechnologie 2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
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George SK, Schwientek T, Holm B, Reis CA, Clausen H, Kihlberg J. Chemoenzymatic synthesis of sialylated glycopeptides derived from mucins and T-cell stimulating peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2001; 123:11117-25. [PMID: 11697954 DOI: 10.1021/ja015570t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Tn, T, sialyl-Tn, and 2,3-sialyl-T antigens are tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens expressed on mucins in epithelial cancers, such as those affecting the breast, ovary, stomach, and colon. Glycopeptides carrying these antigens are of interest for development of cancer vaccines and a short, chemoenzymatic strategy for their synthesis is reported. Building blocks corresponding to the Tn (GalNAc alpha-Ser/Thr) and T [Gal beta(1-->3)GalNAc alpha-Ser/Thr] antigens, which are relatively easy to obtain by chemical synthesis, were prepared and then used in the synthesis of glycopeptides on the solid phase. Introduction of sialic acid to give the sialyl-Tn [Neu5Ac alpha(2-->6)GalNAc alpha-Ser/Thr] and 2,3-sialyl-T [Neu5Ac alpha(2-->3)Gal beta(1-->3)GalNAc alpha-Ser/Thr] antigens is difficult when performed chemically at the building block level. Sialylation was therefore carried out with recombinant sialyltransferases in solution after cleavage of the Tn and T glycopeptides from the solid phase. In the same manner, the core 2 trisaccharide [Gal beta 1-->3(GlcNAc beta 1-->6)GalNAc] was incorporated in glycopeptides containing the T antigen by using a recombinant N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase. The outlined chemoenzymatic approach was applied to glycopeptides from the tandem repeat domain of the mucin MUC1, as well as to neoglycosylated derivatives of a T cell stimulating viral peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K George
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Winterfeld GA, Schmidt RR. Nitroglycal-Verknüpfung: ein breit anwendbarer und effizienter Weg zur Synthese von O-Glycanen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2001. [DOI: 10.1002/1521-3757(20010716)113:14<2718::aid-ange2718>3.0.co;2-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Winterfeld GA, Schmidt RR. Nitroglycal Concatenation: A Broadly Applicable and Efficient Approach to the Synthesis of Complex O-Glycans. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2001; 40:2654-2657. [DOI: 10.1002/1521-3773(20010716)40:14<2654::aid-anie2654>3.0.co;2-l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2001] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Bézay N, Dudziak G, Liese A, Kunz H. Chemoenzymatisch-chemische Synthese eines (2-3)-Sialyl-T-Threonin-Bausteins und dessen Einsatz in der Synthese der N-terminalen Sequenz von Leukämie-assoziiertem Leukosialin (CD43). Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2001. [DOI: 10.1002/1521-3757(20010618)113:12<2350::aid-ange2350>3.0.co;2-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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