Synthesis of β-Glycosyl Amides from N-Glycosyl Dinitrobenzenesulfonamides

Synthesis and Screening of α-Xylosides in Human Glioblastoma Cells

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate decorate all mammalian cell surfaces. These mucopolysaccharides act as coreceptors for extracellular ligands, regulating cell signaling, growth, proliferation, and adhesion. In glioblastoma, the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor, dysregulated GAG biosynthesis results in altered chain length, sulfation patterns, and the ratio of contributing monosaccharides. These events contribute to the loss of normal cellular function, initiating and sustaining malignant growth. Disruption of the aberrant cell surface GAGs with small molecule inhibitors of GAG biosynthetic enzymes is a potential therapeutic approach to blocking the rogue signaling and proliferation in glioma, including glioblastoma. Previously, 4-azido-xylose-α-UDP sugar inhibited both xylosyltransferase (XYLT-1) and β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-7 (β-GALT-7)-the first and second enzymes of GAG biosynthesis-when microinjected into a cell. In another study, 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-β-xylosides inhibited β-GALT-7 at 1 mM concentration in vitro. In this work, we seek to solve the enduring problem of drug delivery to human glioma cells at low concentrations. We developed a library of hydrophobic, presumed prodrugs 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-2,3-dibenzoyl-(α- or β-) xylosides and their corresponding hydrophilic inhibitors of XYLT-1 and β-GALT-7 enzymes. The prodrugs were designed to be activatable by carboxylesterase enzymes overexpressed in glioblastoma. Using a colorimetric MTT assay in human glioblastoma cell lines, we identified a prodrug-drug pair (4-nitrophenyl-α-xylosides) as lead drug candidates. The candidates arrest U251 cell growth at an IC50 = 380 nM (prodrug), 122 μM (drug), and U87 cells at IC50 = 10.57 μM (prodrug). Molecular docking studies were consistent with preferred binding of the α- versus β-nitro xyloside conformer to XYLT-1 and β-GALT-7 enzymes.

Exploitation of new structurally diverse d-glucuronamide-containing N-glycosyl compounds: synthesis and anticancer potential

The synthesis and anticancer evaluation of novel N-glycosyl derivatives containing N-substituted glucuronamide moieties, as nucleoside analogs or as prospective mimetics of glycosyl phosphates or of nucleotides, is reported. These compounds comprise N-anomerically-linked nucleobases or motifs that are surrogates of a phosphate group, such as sulfonamide or phosphoramidate moieties. 1-Sulfonamido glucuronamides containing N-benzyl, N-propargyl or N-dodecyl carboxamide units were synthesized through glycosylation of methanesulfonamide with tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides. 1-Azido glucuronamides were accessed by microwave-assisted reactions of tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides with TMSN₃ and were further converted into N-glycosylphosphoramidates by treatment with trimethyl phosphite. Potential glucuronamide-based nucleotide mimetics comprising both an anomeric sulfonamide/phosphoramidate group and a benzyltriazolylmethyl amide system at C-5, as nucleobase mimetics, were synthesized via 'click' cycloaddition of N-propargyl glucuronamide derivatives with benzyl azide. N-Dodecyl tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides were converted into uracil and purine nucleosides via N-glycosylation of the corresponding silylated nucleobases. Biological screening revealed significant antiproliferative activities of the N-dodecyl glucuronamide-containing sulfonamide, phosphoramidate and nucleosides in K562 and MCF-7 cells. The highest effect was exhibited by the N⁹-linked purine nucleoside in the breast cancer cell MCF-7 with a GI₅₀ value similar to that of clinically used 5-fluorouracil. Immunoblotting and cell cycle analysis of K562 cells treated with the most active compound as well as evaluation of the effect of this nucleoside on the activities of caspases 3 and 7 showed induction of apoptosis as the mechanism of cell death.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2011-2012

This review is the seventh update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of MALDI mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2012. General aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, and fragmentation are covered in the first part of the review and applications to various structural types constitute the remainder. The main groups of compound are oligo- and poly-saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Much of this material is presented in tabular form. Also discussed are medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:255-422, 2017.

Synthesis of Glycosyl Amides Using Selenocarboxylates as Traceless Reagents for Amide Bond Formation

Carbohydrate-derived amides were successfully prepared in good yields from a broad range of substrates, including furanosyl and pyranosyl derivatives. The methodology successfully relied on the in situ generation of lithium selenocarboxylates from Se/LiEt3BH and acyl chlorides or carboxylic acids and their reaction with sugar azides. A key aspect of the present protocol is that we start from elemental selenium; isolation and handling of all reactive and sensitive selenium-containing intermediates is avoided, therefore providing the selenocarboxylate the status of a traceless reagent.

Synthesis of a poly-hydroxypyrolidine-based inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis GlgE

Long treatment times, poor drug compliance, and natural selection during treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) have given rise to extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). As a result, there is a need to identify new antituberculosis drug targets. Mtb GlgE is a maltosyl transferase involved in α-glucan biosynthesis. Mutation of GlgE in Mtb increases the concentration of maltose-1-phosphate (M1P), one substrate for GlgE, causing rapid cell death. We have designed 2,5-dideoxy-3-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-2,5-imino-d-mannitol (9) to act as an inhibitor of GlgE. Compound 9 was synthesized using a convergent synthesis by coupling thioglycosyl donor 14 and 5-azido-3-O-benzyl-5-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-β-d-fructopyranose (23) to form disaccharide 24. A reduction and intramolecular reductive amination transformed the intermediate disaccharide 24 to the desired pyrolidine 9. Compound 9 inhibited both Mtb GlgE and a variant of Streptomyces coelicolor (Sco) GlgEI with K_i = 237 ± 27 μM and K_i = 102 ± 7.52 μM, respectively. The results confirm that a Sco GlgE-V279S variant can be used as a model for Mtb GlgE. In conclusion, we designed a lead transition state inhibitor of GlgE, which will be instrumental in further elucidation of the enzymatic mechanism of Mtb GlgE.