Synthesis of Four Spacer-Containing Trisaccharides with the 4-0-(β-L-Rhamnopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranose Unit in Common, Representing Fragments of Capsular Polysaccharides fromStreptococcus PneumoniaeTypes 2, 7F, 22F, and 23F

Synthetic Analogs of Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsular Polysaccharides and Immunogenic Activities of Glycoconjugates

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive bacterium (pneumococcus) that causes severe diseases in adults and children. It was established that some capsular polysaccharides of the clinically significant serotypes of S. pneumoniae in the composition of commercial pneumococcal polysaccharide or conjugate vaccines exhibit low immunogenicity. The review considers production methods and structural features of the synthetic oligosaccharides from the problematic pneumococcal serotypes that are characterized with low immunogenicity due to destruction or detrimental modification occurring in the process of their preparation and purification. Bacterial serotypes that cause severe pneumococcal diseases as well as serotypes not included in the composition of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are also discussed. It is demonstrated that the synthetic oligosaccharides corresponding to protective glycotopes of the capsular polysaccharides of various pneumococcal serotypes are capable of inducing formation of the protective opsonizing antibodies and immunological memory. Optimal constructs of oligosaccharides from the epidemiologically significant pneumococcal serotypes are presented that can be used for designing synthetic pneumococcal vaccines, as well as test systems for diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infections and monitoring of vaccination efficiency .

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a trisaccharide repeating unit derivative of Streptococcus pneumoniae 19A capsular polysaccharide

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is a common human pathogen associated with a broad spectrum of diseases and it is still a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially in children. Moreover, SP is increasingly associated with drug resistance. Vaccination against the pathogen may thus represent an important strategy to overcome its threats to human health. In this context, revealing the molecular determinants of SP immunoreactivity may be relevant for the development of novel molecules with therapeutic perspectives as vaccine components. Serogroup 19 comprises the immune-cross reactive types 19F, 19A, 19B and 19C and it accounts for a high percentage of invasive pneumococcal diseases, mainly caused by serotypes 19F and 19A. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of an aminopropyl derivative of the trisaccharide repeating unit of SP 19A. We compare two different synthetic strategies, based on different disconnections between the three monosaccharides which make up the final trisaccharide, to define the best approach for the preparation of the trisaccharide. Synthetic accessibility to the trisaccharide repeating unit lays the basis for the development of more complex biopolymer as well as saccharide conjugates. We also evaluate the binding affinity of the trisaccharide for anti-19A and anti-19F sera and discuss the relationship between the chemical properties of the trisaccharide unit and biological activity.

Identification of the Minimal Glycotope of Streptococcus pneumoniae 7F Capsular Polysaccharide using Synthetic Oligosaccharides

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes life-threatening diseases including meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis. Existing glycoconjugate vaccines based on purified capsular polysaccharides are widely used and help to prevent millions of deaths every year. Herein, the total syntheses of oligosaccharides resembling portions of the S. pneumoniae serotype 7F (ST7F) capsular polysaccharide repeating unit are reported. To define minimal glycan epitopes, glycan microarrays containing the synthetic oligosaccharides were used to screen human reference serum and revealed that both side chains of the ST7F play a key role in antigen recognition. The identification of protective minimal epitopes is vital to design efficient semi- and fully-synthetic glycoconjugate vaccines.

Synthesis of the biological repeating unit of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F capsular polysaccharide

The 3-aminopropyl glycoside of the biological repeating unit ofStreptococcus pneumoniaeserotype 23F capsular polysaccharide was efficiently synthesized by a linear assembly strategy.

Synthesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 neoglycoproteins varying in oligosaccharide chain length, loading and carrier protein

The preparation is described of a range of neoglycoproteins containing synthesised fragments of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3, that is beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->O)-(CH2)3NH2 (1), beta-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->O)-(CH2)3NH2 (2), and beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->O)-(CH4)NH2 (3). A blockwise approach was developed for the synthesis of the protected carbohydrate chains, in which the carboxylic groups were introduced prior to deprotection by selective oxidation of HO-6 in the presence of HO-4 by using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy radical). After deprotection, the 3-aminopropyl spacer of the fragments was elongated with diethyl squarate (3,4-diethoxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione) and the elongated oligosaccharides were conjugated to CRM197 (cross-reacting material of diphtheria toxin), KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) or TT (tetanus toxoid). The resulting neoglycoconjugates varied in oligosaccharide chain length, oligosaccharide loading and protein carrier. These well-defined conjugates are ideal probes for evaluating the influence of the different structural parameters in immunological tests.

beta-1,4-Galactosyltransferase-catalyzed synthesis of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14

A chemoenzymatic approach is described towards the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit, beta-D-Galp- (1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNac, of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14 in a form suitable for conjugation. The linear trisaccharide acceptor, beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O)CH2CH++ + = CH2, was synthesized by coupling of peracetylated lactosyl trichloroacetimidate to a suitably protected glucosamine building block and subsequent deprotection steps. The obtained derivative was found to be a good acceptor for bovine milk beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase, and the resulting branched tetrasaccharide beta-allyl glycoside was isolated and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and FAB mass spectrometry. Reaction of the anomeric allyl function with cysteamine under UV-irradiation gave the beta-aminoethylthio-extended glycoside suitable for further coupling of the tetrasaccharide to protein carriers.

Glycosylation via locked anomeric configuration: stereospecific synthesis of oligosaccharides containing the beta-D-mannopyranosyl and beta-L-rhamnopyranosyl linkage

cis-1,2-Stannylene acetals of D-mannose and L-rhamnose, formed preferentially from the free sugars treated with dibutyltin oxide, are capable of displacing the trifluoromethanesulfonyl (triflyl) leaving groups in carbohydrates to give, with retention of configuration at the anomeric center in the nucleophile, cis-1,2-linked oligosaccharides. In the case of secondary triflates, the new glycosidic linkage is formed with complete inversion of configuration in the electrophile. Both the reactivity of the electrophile and nucleophilicity of oxygens in the stannylene complex affect the overall outcome of the reaction. From the comparison of results of a number of glycosylations via stannylene acetals, it appears that nucleophilicity of oxygens involved in the cis-1,2-acetals decreases in the order: equatorial anomeric > equatorial non-anomeric > axial anomeric. Consequently, treatment of the stannylene acetal prepared from D-mannose (mainly the cis-1,2-stannylene compound in admixture with a small proportion of the cis-2,3-stannylene acetal) with methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-6-O-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-alpha-D-glucopyra noside yielded, in addition to the expected beta-D-mannopyranoside (major), a product of non-anomeric alkylation at O-3. On the other hand, glycosylation of the stannylene acetal derived from maltose with methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-alpha-D-galactopyra noside gave almost exclusively a non-glycosidically, (2-->4)-linked pseudo-trisaccharide. Combination of the glycosylation via locked anomeric configuration with conventional glycosylations, to yield higher oligosaccharides, is also demonstrated.