Design and synthesis of sialyl Lewis(x) mimics as E- and P-selectin inhibitors

The selectins are a family of cell-adhesion proteins that mediate the rolling of leukocytes on activated endothelial cells through the recognition of the carbohydrate epitope sialyl Lewis(x) (sLe(x)). Control of the leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion process may prove useful in cases where excess recruitment of leukocytes can contribute to acute diseases such as stroke and reperfusion injury and chronic diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. The development of molecules that block the interactions between sLe(x) and the selectins has become an active area of research. In this review, we will highlight the various approaches taken toward the development of sLe(x) mimetics as antagonists of E- and P-selectin, including the use of structural information about the selectins and their interactions with sLe(x) that have been revealed through the use of NMR, protein crystallography and molecular modeling.

Solution conformation and dynamics of a tetrasaccharide related to the Lewix(X) antigen deduced by 1H NMR NOESY, ROESY, and T-ROESY measurements

The conformational and dynamical features of a Le(X) tetrasaccharide analogue GalNAc (alpha 1-3)Gal(beta 1-4)[Fuc(alpha 1-3)]Glc(beta OMe) 1 have been studied through 1H NMR relaxation measurements. The results indicate that the different glycosidic linkages of 1 present distinct conformational flexibility in solution. In addition, the use of T-ROESY experiments in conformational analysis of oligosaccharides is explored emphasizing its scope and limitations.