A new method for the formation of the α-glycoside bond of sialyl conjugates based on long-range participation

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.

Improved α-Sialylation through the Synergy of 5-N,4-O-Oxazolidinone Protection and Exocyclic C-1 Neighboring Group Participation

Stereoselective construction of α-sialyl linkages is one of the most significant challenges in carbohydrate chemistry. In this research, we developed a novel strategy for stereoselective synthesis of α-linked sialosides by protecting the 5-N,4-O-positions of a sialyl donor with an oxazolidinone group and its C-1 carboxylic functionality with a cyanoethyl ester to promote α-glycosylation. We also adopted the more electrophilic N-bromosuccinimide as a promoter to readily activate p-tolyl thiosialoside at -78 °C. The sialylation using this sialyl donor gave excellent yields and α-selectivity. The new synthetic method was used to successfully construct naturally occurring α-sialosides having sialic acid linked to the 6-O- or 3-O-position of galactoside, or 8-O-position of another sialic acid, respectively, as well as other α-linked sialosides.

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.

Assistance of the C-7,8-Picoloyl Moiety for Directing the Glycosyl Acceptors into the α-Orientation for the Glycosylation of Sialyl Donors

An efficient α-sialylation method for many primary hydroxyl acceptors that include 6-OH glycosides has been developed. 7,8-Di-O-picoloyl sialyl glycoside was used as the glycosyl donor, and α-glycoconjugation was controlled by using the 7,8-di-O-picoloyl moiety in CH₂Cl₂. The methodology was successfully applied to the total synthesis of ganglioside Hp-s1 possessing neuritogenic activity.

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.

Efficient dehydrative sialylation of C-4-aminated sialyl-hemiketal donors with Ph2SO/Tf2O

An efficient approach to the dehydrative sialylation of various substrates with C-4-aminated sialyl-hemiketal donors by using the reagent combination of diphenyl sulfoxide and triflic anhydride is reported. By using a C-4-hindered non-nucleophilic amine auxiliary, excellent yields and high alpha-stereoselectivities were obtained for coupling with a wide range of primary and secondary acceptors.