An efficient approach to streoselective glycosylation of N-acetylneuraminic acid: Used of phenylselenyl group as a stereocontrolling auxillary

Integrated chemoenzymatic synthesis of a comprehensive sulfated ganglioside glycan library to decipher functional sulfoglycomics and sialoglycomics

Ganglioside glycans are ubiquitous and complex biomolecules that are involved in a wide range of biological functions and disease processes. Variations in sialylation and sulfation render the structural complexity and diversity of ganglioside glycans, and influence protein-carbohydrate interactions. Structural and functional insights into the biological roles of these glycans are impeded due to the limited accessibility of well-defined structures. Here we report an integrated chemoenzymatic strategy for expeditious and systematic synthesis of a comprehensive 65-membered ganglioside glycan library covering all possible patterns of sulfation and sialylation. This strategy relies on the streamlined modular assembly of three common sialylated precursors by highly stereoselective iterative sialylation, modular site-specific sulfation through flexible orthogonal protecting-group manipulations and enzymatic-catalysed diversification using three sialyltransferase modules and a galactosidase module. These diverse ganglioside glycans enable exploration into their structure-function relationships using high-throughput glycan microarray technology, which reveals that different patterns of sulfation and sialylation on these glycans mediate their unique binding specificities.

Growing impact of sialic acid-containing glycans in future drug discovery

In nature, almost all cells are covered with a complex array of glycan chain namely sialic acids or nuraminic acids, a negatively charged nine carbon sugars which is considered for their great therapeutic importance since long back. Owing to its presence at the terminal end of lipid bilayer (commonly known as terminal sugars), the well-defined sialosides or sialoconjugates have served pivotal role on the cell surfaces and thus, the sialic acid-containing glycans can modulate and mediate a number of imperative cellular interactions. Understanding of the sialo-protein interaction and their roles in vertebrates in regard of normal physiology, pathological variance, and evolution has indeed a noteworthy journey in medicine. In this tutorial review, we present a concise overview about the structure, linkages in chemical diversity, biological significance followed by chemical and enzymatic modification/synthesis of sialic acid containing glycans. A more focus is attempted about the recent advances, opportunity, and more over growing impact of sialosides and sialoconjugates in future drug discovery and development.

Advanced Chemical Methods for Stereoselective Sialylation and Their Applications in Sialoglycan Syntheses

Sialic acid is an important component of cell surface glycans, which are responsible for many vital body functions and should therefore be thoroughly studied to understand their biological roles and association with disorders. The difficulty of isolating large quantities of homogenous-state sialoglycans from natural sources has inspired the development of the corresponding chemical synthesis methods affording acceptable purities, yields, and amounts. However, the related syntheses are challenging because of the difficulties in α-glycosylation of sialic acid, which arises from its certain structural features such as the absence of a stereodirecting group at the C3 position and presence of carboxyl group at the anomeric position. Moreover, the structural complexities of sialoglycans with diverse numbers and locations of sialic acid on the glycan chains pose additional barriers. Thus, efficient α-stereoselective routes to sialosides remain highly sought after, although various types of sialyl donors/acceptors have been developed for the straightforward synthesis of α-sialosides. Herein, we review the latest progress in the α-stereoselective synthesis of sialosides and their applications in the preparation of gangliosides and other sialoglycans.

Constrained sialic acid donors enable selective synthesis of α-glycosides

Sialic acid is a sugar residue present in many biologically significant glycans of mammals, commonly as a terminal α-glycoside. The chemical structure of sialic acid, which features an anomeric center with carboxyl and methylene substituents, poses a challenge for synthesis of the α-glycoside, thus impeding biological and therapeutic studies on sialic acid–containing glycans. We present a robust method for the selective α-glycosidation of sialic acid using macrobicyclized sialic acid donors as synthetic equivalents of structurally constrained oxocarbenium ions to impart stereoselectivity. We demonstrate the power of our method by showcasing broad substrate scope and applicability in the preparation of diverse sialic acid–containing architectures.

Chemical Synthesis of Glycosides of N-Acetylneuraminic Acid

Investigations of methodologies aimed on improving the stereoselective synthesis of sialosides and the efficient assembly of sialic acid glycoconjugates has been the mission of dedicated research groups from the late 1960s. This review presents major accomplishments in the field, with the emphasis on significant breakthroughs and influential synthetic strategies of the last decade.

General consideration on sialic acid chemistry

Sialic acids, also known as neuraminic acids, are a family of negatively charged α-keto acids with a nine-carbon backbone. These unique sugars have been found at the termini of many glycan chains of vertebrate cell surface, which play pivotal roles in mediating or modulating a variety of physiological and pathological processes. This brief review covers general approaches for synthesizing sialic acid containing structures. Recently developed synthetic methods along with structural diversities and biological functions of sialic acid are discussed.

Toward automated oligosaccharide synthesis

Carbohydrates have been shown to play important roles in biological processes. The pace of development in carbohydrate research is, however, relatively slow due to the problems associated with the complexity of carbohydrate structures and the lack of general synthetic methods and tools available for the study of this class of biomolecules. Recent advances in synthesis have demonstrated that many of these problems can be circumvented. In this Review, we describe the methods developed to tackle the problems of carbohydrate-mediated biological processes, with particular focus on the issue related to the development of the automated synthesis of oligosaccharides. Further applications of carbohydrate microarrays and vaccines to human diseases are also highlighted.

Use of phenyl 2-alpha-selenoglycosides of N-acetylneuraminic acid as a glycosyl donor for the glycosylation reactions

Phenyl 2-alpha-selenoglycosides of Neu5Ac were successfully prepared from the corresponding peracetylated chloro derivative of Neu5Ac 1 and phenylselenol in the presence of N,N-di-isopropylethylamine in excellent yields. The reaction of with various alcohols was effectively catalyzed by NIS/TfOH or DMTST to produce a variety of glycosides in moderate yields. Selective activation of over phenyl 2-alpha-thioglycoside of Neu5Ac with AgOTf/K(2)CO(3) was also achieved.

Total syntheses of tumor-related antigens N3: probing the feasibility limits of the glycal assembly method

The total syntheses of two octasaccharide antigens isolated from human milk, 1 and 2, and their corresponding allyl glycosides, 3 and 4, have been achieved by utilizing the glycal method. Convergent assembly of the core hexasaccharides and concurrent introduction of two alpha-L-fucosyl moieties at the late stage of the syntheses provided these complex carbohydrates in a concise manner. With synthetic material obtained, biological evaluations of these antigens as potential gastrointestinal cancer immunotherapeutic agents have been initiated.

Enzymatic and Chemical Approaches for the Synthesis of Sialyl Glycoconjugates

In conclusion, either enzymatic or chemical approaches have their unique features and unavoidable disadvantages. Enzyme-catalyzed sialylations provide the desired sialo-glycosidic linkages in the two enzyme reactions (CMP-NeuAc synthetase and sialyltransferase) with exclusive stereoselectivity and high yield as long as the required sialyltransferase is available. High substrate specificity of the two enzymes is a limitation so that many unnatural glycoconjugates cannot be prepared enzymatically. As for chemical glycosylations of sialic acids, it is possible to introduce any modification in sialyl donor and acceptor, in addition to create special sugar linkages. Nevertheless, reducing the number of reaction steps (for preparing both donors and acceptors of glycosylation), and enhancing stereoselectivity, as well as reaction yield are still problems to be overcome.

The total synthesis of ganglioside GM3

Previous syntheses of ganglioside GM3 (NeuAc alpha3Gal beta4Glc beta1Cer) are reviewed, and both chemoenzymatic and chemical total synthetic approaches were investigated. In a chemoenzymatic approach, (2S,3R,4E)-5'''-acetyl-alpha-neuraminyl-(2''' --> 3'')-beta-galactopyranosyl-(1'' --> 4')-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1' <--> 1)-2-azido-4-octadecene-1,3-diol (azidoGM3) was readily prepared utilizing recombinant beta-Gal-(1'' --> 3'/4')-GlcNAc alpha-(2''' --> 3'')-sialyltransferase enzyme, and was evaluated as a synthetic intermediate to ganglioside GM3. The chemical total synthesis of ganglioside GM3 was performed on one of the largest scales yet reported. The highlights of this synthesis include minimizing the steps necessary to prepare the lactosyl acceptor as a useful anomeric mixture, which was present in excess for the highly regioselective and fairly stereoselective sialylation with a known neuraminyl donor to give the protected GM3 trisaccharide. The synthetic methodology maximized convergence by a subsequent glycosidic coupling of the well-characterized GM3 trisaccharide trichloroacetimidate derivative with protected ceramide. The ganglioside GM3 was nearly homogeneous as the two glycosidic couplings utilized preparative HLPC purifications, and variations in the sphingosine base and fatty acyl group were under 0.1 and 0.2%, respectively.

A convergent synthesis of trisaccharides with alpha-Neu5Ac-(2 --> 3)-beta-D-gal-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcNAc and alpha-Neu5Ac-(2 --> 3)-beta-D-gal-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-GalNAc sequences

The syntheses of three trisaccharides: alpha-Neu5Ac-(2 --> 3)-beta-D-Gal-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcNAc --> OMe, alpha-Neu5Ac-(2 --> 3)-beta-D-Gal6SO3Na-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcNAc --> OMe, and alpha-Neu5Ac-(2 --> 3)-beta-D-Gal-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-GalNAc --> OBn were accomplished by using either methyl (phenyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-beta-D-glycero-D-g alacto-2-nonulopyranoside)onate or methyl (phenyl N-acetyl-5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-beta-D-gl ycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranoside)onate as the sialyl donor. The N,N-diacetylamino sialyl donor appears to be more reactive than its parent acetamido sugar when allowed to react with an disaccharide acceptor under the same glycosylation conditions. The trisaccharides, as well as the intermediate products, were fully characterized by 2D DQF 1H-1H COSY and 2D ROESY spectroscopy.

An efficient short-step total synthesis of ganglioside GM3: effective usage of the neighbouring group participation strategy

We have developed an efficient methodology for highly stereoselective sialylation using 3-position substituted sialic acids and have prepared 2a having a 3 beta-phenylthio group as a sialic donor. Glycosylation of suitably protected lactoside 3 with 2a gave only the alpha-sialyl trisaccharide 16 in good yield. Condensation of the azidosphingosine 4 with the acetate 17 using promotors, DMTST or NIS-TfOH, afforded the glycolipid 18, which was directly transformed to 20 by reduction with Bu3P and subsequent acylation with octadecanoic acid in the presence of WSC. Removal of the protecting groups generated ganglioside GM3 (1).

Synthesis of phosphites and phosphates of neuraminic acid and their glycosyl donor properties--convenient synthesis of GM3

The importance and requirements for catalytic activation of sialyl donors are discussed, leading to the acid sensitive phosphite and phosphate moiety, respectively, as leaving group and nitriles as solvent. Therefore, from readily available N-acetylneuraminic acid, derivative 1 with phosphochloridites 2a-f and Huenigs' base sialyl phosphites 3a-f were prepared and isolated in high yields. Oxidation of 3a,c with tert-butyl-hydroperoxide afforded the corresponding phosphates 4a,c. As expected, phosphites 3 could be activated in acetonitrile by catalytic amounts of TMSOTf; thus, from 3a-e as donors and lactose derivatives 8A,B as acceptors the ganglioside building blocks 9A and 9B, respectively, were obtained in good yields. The best results were obtained with diethyl phosphite derivative 3a as sialyl donor, which exceeded by far the results obtained with the corresponding phosphate derivative 4a. Trisaccharide 9B was transformed into known 9A and into the fully O-acetylated GM3-trisaccharide 10.

Synthesis of a series of ganglioside GM3 analogs containing a deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid residue

Ganglioside GM3 analogs containing 4-, 7-, 8-, and 9-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acids in the place of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) have been synthesized. Glycosylation of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(6-O-benzoyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-2,6-di- O-benzoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside with the methyl 2-thioglycoside derivatives of the respective deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acids, using dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate as a promoter, gave the four required 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl alpha-sialosyl-(2----3b)-beta-lactosides. These were converted via O-acetylation, selective removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, and subsequent imidate formation, into the corresponding alpha-sialosyl-(2----3b)-alpha-lactose trichloroacetimidates 15, 17, 19, and 21. Glycosylation of (2S,3R,4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol with 15, 17, 19, and 21 in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate afforded the expected beta glycosides, which were transformed in good yields, via selective reduction of the azido group, coupling with octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and de-esterification, into the target compounds.

Synthesis of an S-(alpha-sialosyl)-(2----9)-O-(alpha-sialosyl)-(2----3')-beta-lactos ylceramide

A ganglioside GD3 analog has been synthesized having an N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) residue alpha-thioglycosidically linked to C-9 of the Neu5Ac residue in the ganglioside GM3 structure. Glycosylation of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(6-O-benzoyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-2,6-di-O-benzoyl-beta-D -glucopyranoside with methyl (methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8-tri-O-acetyl-9-bromo-3,5,9-trideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D- galacto-2-nonulopyranosid)onate, which was prepared from methyl (methyl 5-acetamido-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto-2- nonulopyranosid)onate by 8,9-O-isopropylidenation, O-acetylation, hydrolysis of the isopropylidene group, selective bromination, and O-acetylation, using dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate (DMTST) as a promoter, gave the alpha-sialosyl-(2----3')-lactoside 8. Coupling of the O-acetyl derivative of 8 with the sodium salt of methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-D-glycero-alpha-D- galacto-2-nonulopyranosonate gave an alpha-thioglycosidically linked tetrasaccharide. This was converted, via selective removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, trichloroacetimidation, and glycosidation with (2S,3R,4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol into a ganglioside precursor. Finally the precursor on selective reduction of the azide group, coupling with octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and de-esterification gave the analog, S-(N-acetyl-alpha-neuraminosyl)-(2----9)-O-(N-acetyl-9-thio-alpha- neuraminosyl)-(2----3')-beta-lactosylceramide.

Synthesis of a position isomer of ganglioside GD3 having an alpha-Neu5Ac-(2----9)-alpha-Neu5Ac linkage

A position isomer of ganglioside GD3 has been synthesized in which N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is linked alpha-glycosidically at C-9 of the Neu5Ac residue of the ganglioside GM3, structure. The coupling of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(6-O-benzoyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-2,6-di-O-benzoyl-beta-D -glucopyranoside with methyl O-(methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto -2-nonulopyranosylonate)-(2----9)-(methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8-tri-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-D-glycero-D-galacto-2 -nonulopyranosid)onate, prepared from the corresponding 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glycoside by selective removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, 1-O-acetylation, and introduction of the methylthio group with trimethyl(methylthio)silane, using N-iodosuccinimide-trifluoromethanesulfonic acid as a glycosylation catalyst, gave a tetrasaccharide (5). Compound 5 was converted, via O-acetylation, selective removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, and subsequent imidate formation, into a protected alpha-Neu5Ac-(2----9)-alpha-Neu5Ac-(2----3')-alpha-lactosyl trichloroacetimidate (8). Glycosylation of (2S,3R,4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol with 8 afforded a ceramide precursor which was transformed, via selective reduction of the azido group, coupling with octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and hydrolysis of the methyl ester groups, into to the little ganglioside.

Synthesis of sialic acid-containing nucleotide sugars: CMP-sialic acid analogs

Syntheses of some sialic acid-containing nucleotide sugars are reported. The reaction of methyl [(2-hydroxy)ethyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto -2-nonulopyranosid]onate (4) with various fully protected hydrogen phosphonates of nucleosides (5a-c) in the presence of 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenesulfonyl chloride (TPSCl), gave, after oxidation and deprotection, the corresponding sialic acid-containing nucleotide sugar analogs (8a-c).

Stereoselective total synthesis of glycopeptides bearing the dimeric and trimeric sialosyl-Tn epitope

The dimeric and trimeric sialosyl-Tn epitopes, [alpha-D-Neup5Ac-(2----6)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1----3)-L-Ser]n-L-Val (n = 2 and 3), which represent part of a clustered carbohydrate region of glycophorin A, a human erythrocyte glycoprotein, have been synthesised stereoselectively. 2-Azido-3-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranosyl fluoride (GalpNAc unit), Fmoc-L-serine phenacyl ester (Ser unit), and benzyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-benzyl-5-deoxy-3-S-phenyl-3-thio-D-erythro-L - gluco-2-nonulopyranosylonate bromide (Neup5Ac unit) were the key intermediates for stereoselective glycosylation. 2-Ethoxy-1-ethoxycarbonyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline-promoted elongation of the peptide chain and then hydrogenolysis afforded the title compounds.

Expedient syntheses of neoglycoproteins using phase transfer catalysis and reductive amination as key reactions

Starting from peracetylated chloro- or bromo-glycosyl donors of N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, glucose and lactose, the corresponding p-formylphenyl glycosides were synthesized stereospecifically under phase transfer catalysed conditions at room temperature in yields of 38-67%. After Zemplén de-O-acetylation, the formyl groups were directly and chemoselectively coupled to the lysine residues of bovine serum albumin by reductive amination using sodium cyanoborohydride. The conjugation reactions were followed as a function of time and under a series of different molar ratios of the reactants to provide glycoconjugates of varying degree of antigenicities. Thus, carbohydrate protein conjugates were made readily available using essentially two key reactions.

An efficient synthesis of ganglioside GM3: highly stereocontrolled glycosylations by use of auxiliaries

An efficiently stereocontrolled total synthesis of GM3 alpha-D-Neup5Ac-(2----3)-beta-D-Galp-(1----4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1----1) -Cer was achieved by employing both methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-benzyl-2-bromo-2,3,5-trideoxy-3- phenylthio-D-erythro-beta-L-gluco-2-nonulopyranosonate for the key sialylation step, and O-[methyl(5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha -D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosyl)onate]-(2----3)-O-(2,4,6-tri-O- acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-3,6-di-O-acetyl-2-O-pivaloyl- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate and fluoride for the key coupling step with a ceramide derivative. These two steps were significantly altered and improved in comparison with our previous synthesis that had been executed without use of stereocontrolling auxiliaries. GM3 was obtained in 4.5% overall yield in 19 steps starting from allyl O-(2,6-di-O-acetyl-3,4-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4 )-2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside.

Synthesis of (1----4)-linked galacturonic acid trisaccharides, a proposed plant wound-hormone and a stereoisomer

Syntheses of alpha-GalA-(1----4)-alpha-GalA-(1----4)-GalA, a proposed plant wound-hormone, and its stereoisomer beta-GalA-(1----4)-alpha-GalA-(1----4)-GalA are described. The key intermediates, tert-butyldiphenylsilyl O-(6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-(6 -O- acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-6-O-acetyl-2,3 -di-O- benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside and tert-butyldiphenylsilyl O-(6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-(6- O- acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-6-O-acetyl-2,3 -di-O- benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, were prepared by stereoselective alpha-glycosylation of tert-butyldiphenylsilyl 6-O-acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside with O-(6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-6-O- acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-D-galactopyranosyl fluoride and O-(6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-6-O-a cetyl- 2,3-di-O-benzyl-D-galactopyranosyl fluoride, respectively. The corresponding beta isomers were minor products. Characteristic features in the n.m.r. data of the key intermediates are discussed.