Carbohydrate Microarrays as Tools in HIV Glycobiology

Multidimensional identification of disaccharide isomers based on non-covalent complexes and tandem mass spectrometry

Glycans are the most abundant organic polymers in nature. They are essential to living organisms and regulate a wide range of biological functions. However, mass spectrometry-based identification of glycan isomers remains challenging due to the complexity of their structures including their complex compositions, linkages, and anomeric configurations. In this study, two novel complex ions, the mononuclear copper-bound dimeric ions [(Cu²⁺)(A)(L-His)-H]⁺ and the mononuclear copper-bound quaternary ions [(Cu²⁺)(A)(L-Ser)₃-H]⁺ (where A denotes a disaccharide, and L-Ser/His denotes l-serine/histidine), were designed for the collision-induced dissociation-based identification and relative quantification of 14 disaccharide isomers. When the unique fragmentation patterns of the above two types of complex ions were mapped into a three-dimensional vector, all the isomers were completely distinguished. Of note, the established method is able to identify mixtures of linkage isomers only using tandem mass spectrometry based on linkage-specific fragment ions of histidine-based complex ions. Finally, the method was successfully applied to the identification and relative quantification of two disaccharide isomers (lactose and sucrose) in dairy beverages. In conclusion, the established method is sensitive to subtle structural differences in disaccharide isomers and has the potential to be used for the differentiation of various glycans.

Physicochemical characterization of the recombinant lectin scytovirin and microbicidal activity of the SD1 domain produced in rice against HIV-1

KEY MESSAGE

Rice-produced SD1 retains its physicochemical properties and provides efficient pre-exposure HIV-1 prophylaxis against infection in vitro. Scytovirin (SVN) is an HIV-neutralizing lectin that features two structural domains (SD1 and SD2) that bind to HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins. We expressed SD1 in rice seeds as a potential large-scale production platform and confirmed that rice-derived SD1 binds the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 in vitro. We analyzed the thermodynamic properties of SD1 compared to full-size SVN (produced in E. coli) by isothermal titration and differential scanning calorimetry to characterize the specific interactions between SVN/SD1 and gp120 as well as to high-mannose oligosaccharides. SVN bound with moderate affinity (Kd = 1.5 µM) to recombinant gp120, with 2.5-fold weaker affinity to nonamannoside (Kd of 3.9 µM), and with tenfold weaker affinity to tetramannoside (13.8 µM). The melting temperature (Tm) of full-size SVN was 59.1 °C and the enthalpy of unfolding (ΔHunf) was 16.4 kcal/mol, but the Tm fell when SVN bound to nonamannoside (56.5 °C) and twice as much energy was required for unfolding (ΔHunf = 33.5 kcal/mol). Interestingly, binding to tetramannoside destabilized the structure of SD1 (ΔTm ~ 11.5 °C) and doubled the enthalpy of unfolding, suggesting a dimerization event. The similar melting phenomenon shared by SVN and SD1 in the presence of oligomannose confirmed their conserved oligosaccharide-binding mechanisms. SD1 expressed in transgenic rice was able to neutralize HIV-1 in vitro. SD1 expressed in rice, therefore, is suitable as a microbicide component.

Multivalent glycan arrays

Glycan microarrays have become a powerful technology to study biological processes, such as cell-cell interaction, inflammation, and infections. Yet, several challenges, especially in multivalent display, remain. In this introductory lecture we discuss the state-of-the-art glycan microarray technology, with emphasis on novel approaches to access collections of pure glycans and their immobilization on surfaces. Future directions to mimic the natural glycan presentation on an array format, as well as in situ generation of combinatorial glycan collections, are discussed.

The Interaction of the Gut Microbiota with the Mucus Barrier in Health and Disease in Human

Glycoproteins are major players in the mucus protective barrier in the gastrointestinal and other mucosal surfaces. In particular the mucus glycoproteins, or mucins, are responsible for the protective gel barrier. They are characterized by their high carbohydrate content, present in their variable number, tandem repeat domains. Throughout evolution the mucins have been maintained as integral components of the mucosal barrier, emphasizing their essential biological status. The glycosylation of the mucins is achieved through a series of biosynthetic pathways processes, which generate the wide range of glycans found in these molecules. Thus mucins are decorated with molecules having information in the form of a glycocode. The enteric microbiota interacts with the mucosal mucus barrier in a variety of ways in order to fulfill its many normal processes. How bacteria read the glycocode and link to normal and pathological processes is outlined in the review.

Innate immunity against molecular mimicry: Examining galectin-mediated antimicrobial activity

Adaptive immunity provides the unique ability to respond to a nearly infinite range of antigenic determinants. Given the inherent plasticity of the adaptive immune system, a series of tolerance mechanisms exist to reduce reactivity toward self. While this reduces the probability of autoimmunity, it also creates an important gap in adaptive immunity: the ability to recognize microbes that look like self. As a variety of microbes decorate themselves in self-like carbohydrate antigens and tolerance reduces the ability of adaptive immunity to react with self-like structures, protection against molecular mimicry likely resides within the innate arm of immunity. In this review, we will explore the potential consequences of microbial molecular mimicry, including factors within innate immunity that appear to specifically target microbes expressing self-like antigens, and therefore provide protection against molecular mimicry.

Understanding the relationship between cotton fiber properties and non-cellulosic cell wall polysaccharides

A detailed knowledge of cell wall heterogeneity and complexity is crucial for understanding plant growth and development. One key challenge is to establish links between polysaccharide-rich cell walls and their phenotypic characteristics. It is of particular interest for some plant material, like cotton fibers, which are of both biological and industrial importance. To this end, we attempted to study cotton fiber characteristics together with glycan arrays using regression based approaches. Taking advantage of the comprehensive microarray polymer profiling technique (CoMPP), 32 cotton lines from different cotton species were studied. The glycan array was generated by sequential extraction of cell wall polysaccharides from mature cotton fibers and screening samples against eleven extensively characterized cell wall probes. Also, phenotypic characteristics of cotton fibers such as length, strength, elongation and micronaire were measured. The relationship between the two datasets was established in an integrative manner using linear regression methods. In the conducted analysis, we demonstrated the usefulness of regression based approaches in establishing a relationship between glycan measurements and phenotypic traits. In addition, the analysis also identified specific polysaccharides which may play a major role during fiber development for the final fiber characteristics. Three different regression methods identified a negative correlation between micronaire and the xyloglucan and homogalacturonan probes. Moreover, homogalacturonan and callose were shown to be significant predictors for fiber length. The role of these polysaccharides was already pointed out in previous cell wall elongation studies. Additional relationships were predicted for fiber strength and elongation which will need further experimental validation.

Thiol-ene immobilisation of carbohydrates onto glass slides as a simple alternative to gold-thiol monolayers, amines or lipid binding

Carbohydrate arrays are a vital tool in studying infection, probing the mechanisms of bacterial, viral and toxin adhesion and the development of new treatments, by mimicking the structure of the glycocalyx. Current methods rely on the formation of monolayers of carbohydrates that have been chemically modified with a linker to enable interaction with a functionalised surface. This includes amines, biotin, lipids or thiols. Thiol-addition to gold to form self-assembled monolayers is perhaps the simplest method for immobilisation as thiolated glycans are readily accessible from reducing carbohydrates in a single step, but are limited to gold surfaces. Here we have developed a quick and versatile methodology which enables the use of thiolated carbohydrates to be immobilised as monolayers directly onto acrylate-functional glass slides via a 'thiol-ene'/Michael-type reaction. By combining the ease of thiol chemistry with glass slides, which are compatible with microarray scanners this offers a cost effective, but also useful method to assemble arrays.

Using glycan microarrays to understand immunity

Host immunity represents a complex array of factors that evolved to provide protection against potential pathogens. While many factors regulate host immunity, glycan binding proteins (GBPs) appear to play a fundamental role in orchestrating this process. In addition, GBPs also reside at the key interface between host and pathogen. While early studies sought to understand GBP glycan binding specificity, limitations in the availability of test glycans made it difficult to elucidate a detailed understanding of glycan recognition. Recent developments in glycan microarray technology revolutionized analysis of GBP glycan interactions with significant implications in understanding the role of GBPs in host immunity. In this review, we explore different glycan microarray formats with a focus on the impact of these arrays on understanding the binding specificity and function of GBPs involved in immunity.

Carbohydrate microarrays

In the last decade, carbohydrate microarrays have been core technologies for analyzing carbohydrate-mediated recognition events in a high-throughput fashion. A number of methods have been exploited for immobilizing glycans on the solid surface in a microarray format. This microarray-based technology has been widely employed for rapid analysis of the glycan binding properties of lectins and antibodies, the quantitative measurements of glycan-protein interactions, detection of cells and pathogens, identification of disease-related anti-glycan antibodies for diagnosis, and fast assessment of substrate specificities of glycosyltransferases. This review covers the construction of carbohydrate microarrays, detection methods of carbohydrate microarrays and their applications in biological and biomedical research.

Strategies for the profiling, characterisation and detailed structural analysis of N-linked oligosaccharides

Many post-translational modifications, including glycosylation, are pivotal for the structural integrity, location and functional activity of glycoproteins. Sub-populations of proteins that are relocated or functionally changed by such modifications can change resting proteins into active ones, mediating specific effector functions, as in the case of monoclonal antibodies. To ensure safe and efficacious drugs it is essential to employ appropriate robust, quantitative analytical strategies that can (i) perform detailed glycan structural analysis, (ii) characterise specific subsets of glycans to assess known critical features of therapeutic activities (iii) rapidly profile glycan pools for at-line monitoring or high level batch to batch screening. Here we focus on these aspects of glycan analysis, showing how state-of-the-art technologies are required at all stages during the production of recombinant glycotherapeutics. These data can provide insights into processing pathways and suggest markers for intervention at critical control points in bioprocessing and also critical decision points in disease and drug monitoring in patients. Importantly, these tools are now enabling the first glycome/genome studies in large populations, allowing the integration of glycomics into other 'omics platforms in a systems biology context.

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.

Adlayers of dimannoside thiols on gold: surface chemical analysis

Carbohydrate films on gold based on dimannoside thiols (DMT) were prepared, and a complementary surface chemical analysis was performed in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), FT-IR, and contact angle measurements in order to verify formation of ω-carbohydrate-functionalized alkylthiol films. XPS (C 1s, O 1s, and S 2p) reveals information on carbohydrate specific alkoxy (C-O) and acetal moieties (O-C-O) as well as thiolate species attached to gold. Angle-resolved synchrotron XPS was used for chemical speciation at ultimate surface sensitivity. Angle-resolved XPS analysis suggests the presence of an excess top layer composed of unbound sulfur components combined with alkyl moieties. Further support for DMT attachment on Au is given by ToF-SIMS and FT-IR analysis. Carbon and oxygen K-edge NEXAFS spectra were interpreted by applying the building block model supported by comparison to data of 1-undecanethiol, poly(vinyl alcohol), and polyoxymethylene. No linear dichroism effect was observed in the angle-resolved C K-edge NEXAFS.

A solution NMR study of the interactions of oligomannosides and the anti-HIV-1 2G12 antibody reveals distinct binding modes for branched ligands

The structural and affinity details of the interactions of synthetic oligomannosides, linear (di-, tri-, and tetra-) and branched (penta- and hepta-), with the broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibody 2G12 (HIV=human immunodeficiency virus) have been investigated in solution by using ligand-based NMR techniques, specifically saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy and transferred NOE experiments. Linear oligomannosides show similar binding modes to the antibody, with the nonreducing terminal disaccharide Manα(1→2)Man (Man=mannose) making the closest protein/ligand contacts in the bound state. In contrast, the branched pentamannoside shows two alternate binding modes, involving both ligand arms (D2- and D3-like), a dual binding description of the molecular recognition of this ligand by 2G12 in solution that differs from the single binding mode deduced from X-ray studies. On the contrary, the antibody shows an unexpected selectivity for one arm (D1-like) of the other branched ligand (heptamannoside). This result explains the previously reported lack of affinity enhancement relative to that of the D1-like tetramannoside. Single-ligand STD NMR titration experiments revealed noticeable differences in binding affinities among the linear and branched ligands in solution, with the latter showing decreased affinity. Among the analyzed series of ligands, the strongest 2G12 binders were the linear tri- and tetramannosides because both show similar affinity for the antibody. These results demonstrate that NMR spectroscopic techniques can deliver abundant structural, dynamics, and affinity information for the characterization of oligomannose-2G12 binding in solution, thus complementing, and, as in the case of the pentamannoside, extending, the structural view from X-ray crystallography. This information is of key importance for the development of multivalent synthetic gp120 high-mannose glycoconjugate mimics in the context of vaccine development.

Glycoprotein analysis using protein microarrays and mass spectrometry

Protein glycosylation plays an important role in a multitude of biological processes such as cell-cell recognition, growth, differentiation, and cell death. It has been shown that specific glycosylation changes are key in disease progression and can have diagnostic value for a variety of disease types such as cancer and inflammation. The complexity of carbohydrate structures and their derivatives makes their study a real challenge. Improving the isolation, separation, and characterization of carbohydrates and their glycoproteins is a subject of increasing scientific interest. With the development of new stationary phases and molecules that have affinity properties for glycoproteins, the isolation and separation of these compounds have advanced significantly. In addition to detection with mass spectrometry, the microarray platform has become an essential tool to characterize glycan structure and to study glycosylation-related biological interactions, by using probes as a means to interrogate the spotted or captured glycosylated molecules on the arrays. Furthermore, the high-throughput and reproducible nature of microarray platforms have been highlighted by its extensive applications in the field of biomarker validation, where a large number of samples must be analyzed multiple times. This review covers a brief survey of the other experimental methodologies that are currently being developed and used to study glycosylation and emphasizes methodologies that involve the use of microarray platforms. This review describes recent advances in several options of microarray platforms used in glycoprotein analysis, including glycoprotein arrays, glycan arrays, lectin arrays, and antibody/lectin arrays. The translational use of these arrays in applications related to characterization of cells and biomarker discovery is also included.

Carbohydrate vaccines: developing sweet solutions to sticky situations?

Recent technological advances in glycobiology and glycochemistry are paving the way for a new era in carbohydrate vaccine design. This is enabling greater efficiency in the identification, synthesis and evaluation of unique glycan epitopes found on a plethora of pathogens and malignant cells. Here, we review the progress being made in addressing challenges posed by targeting the surface carbohydrates of bacteria, protozoa, helminths, viruses, fungi and cancer cells for vaccine purposes.

Carbohydrate cluster microarrays fabricated on three-dimensional dendrimeric platforms for functional glycomics exploration

We reported here a novel, ready-to-use bioarray platform and methodology for construction of sensitive carbohydrate cluster microarrays. This technology utilizes a three-dimensional (3-D) poly(amidoamine) starburst dendrimer monolayer assembled on glass surface, which is functionalized with terminal aminooxy and hydrazide groups for site-specific coupling of carbohydrates. A wide range of saccharides, including monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides of diverse structures, are applicable for the 3-D bioarray platform without prior chemical derivatization. The process of carbohydrate coupling is effectively accelerated by microwave radiation energy. The carbohydrate concentration required for microarray fabrication is substantially reduced using this technology. Importantly, this bioarray platform presents sugar chains in defined orientation and cluster configurations. It is, thus, uniquely useful for exploration of the structural and conformational diversities of glyco-epitope and their functional properties.

Design and creativity in synthesis of multivalent neoglycoconjugates

From the authors' opinion, this chapter constitutes a modest extension of the seminal and inspiring contribution of Stowell and Lee on neoglycoconjugates published in this series [C. P. Stowell and Y. C. Lee, Adv. Carbohydr. Chem. Biochem., 37 (1980) 225-281]. The outstanding progresses achieved since then in the field of the "glycoside cluster effect" has witnessed considerable creativity in the design and synthetic strategies toward a vast array of novel carbohydrate structures and reflects the dynamic activity in the field even since the recent chapter by the Nicotra group in this series [F. Nicotra, L. Cipolla, F. Peri, B. La Ferla, and C. Radaelli, Adv. Carbohydr. Chem. Biochem., 61 (2007) 353-398]. Beyond the more classical neoglycoproteins and glycopolymers (not covered in this work) a wide range of unprecedented and often artistically beautiful multivalent and monodisperse nanostructures, termed glycodendrimers for the first time in 1993, has been created. This chapter briefly surveys the concept of multivalency involved in carbohydrate-protein interactions. The topic is also discussed in regard to recent steps undertaken in glycobiology toward identification of lead candidates using microarrays and modern analytical tools. A systematic description of glycocluster and glycodendrimer synthesis follows, starting from the simplest architectures and ending in the most complex ones. Presentation of multivalent glycostructures of intermediate size and comprising, calix[n]arene, porphyrin, cyclodextrin, peptide, and carbohydrate scaffolds, has also been intercalated to better appreciate the growing synthetic complexity involved. A subsection describing novel all-carbon-based glycoconjugates such as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes is inserted, followed by a promising strategy involving dendrons self-assembling around metal chelates. The chapter then ends with those glycodendrimers that have been prepared using commercially available dendrimers possessing varied functionalities, or systematically synthesized using either divergent or convergent strategies.

Engineering nanomaterial surfaces for biomedical applications

Nanomaterials, possessing unique physical and chemical properties, have attracted much interest and generated wide varieties of applications. Recent investigations of functionalized nanomaterials have expanded into the biological area, providing a versatile platform in biomedical applications such as biomolecular sensing, biological imaging, drug delivery and disease therapy. Bio-functions and bio-compatibility of nanomaterials are realized by introducing synthetic ligands or natural biomolecules onto nanomaterials, and combining ligand-receptor biological interactions with intrinsic nanomaterial properties. Common strategies of engineering nanomaterial surfaces involve physisorption or chemisorption of desired ligands. We developed a photochemically initiated surface coupling chemistry, bringing versatility and simplicity to nanomaterial functionalization. The method was applied to attach underivatized carbohydrates efficiently on gold and iron oxide nanoparticles, and the resulting glyconanoparticles were successfully used as a sensitive biosensing system probing specific interactions between carbohydrates and proteins as well as bacteria.

Specific recognition of lectins by oligonucleotide glycoconjugates and sorting on a DNA microarray

Two glycoconjugates bearing different DNA tags are mixed in solution with lectins; both interact with their specific lectin and the resulting complexes are sorted, according to their DNA sequences, at the surface of micro-reactors bearing the immobilised complementary DNA sequences.

Glycomic analysis: an array of technologies

Carbohydrates encode biological information necessary for cellular function. The structural diversity and complexity of these sugar residues have necessitated the creation of novel methodologies for their study. This review highlights recent technological advancements that are starting to unravel the intricate web of carbohydrate biology. New methods for the analysis of both glycoconjugates and glycan structures are discussed. With the use of these innovative tools, the field of glycobiology is poised to take center-stage in the postgenomic era of modern biology and medicine.

New development of glycan arrays

The development of glycan arrays has enabled the high-sensitivity and high-throughput analysis of carbohydrate-protein interactions and contributed to significant advances in glycomics. A number of new array platforms that allow for qualitative and quantitative analysis of mono- and multivalent interactions on surfaces have been developed recently. Glycan arrays are not only a powerful tool for basic research, but also a promising technique for medical diagnosis, and detection of pathogens and cancers. These studies also have led to the design of efficient carbohydrate-based antimicrobial or anticancer vaccines.

Glycan arrays on aluminum-coated glass slides

We have developed a novel method of immobilizing glycans onto aluminum-coated glass (ACG) slides for potential use in disease diagnosis and drug discovery. The quality of these sugar chips can be assessed by mass spectrometry and fluorescence measurements with high sensitivity. The unique properties of ACG slides include: 1) the metal oxide layer on the surface can be activated for grafting organic compounds such as modified oligosaccharides; 2) the surface remains electrically conductive, and the grafted oligosaccharides can be simultaneously characterized by mass spectrometry and carbohydrate-binding assay; and 3) the slides are more sensitive than transparent glass slides in binding analysis. To demonstrate this, we synthesized a model compound of mannose with a built-in photocleavable linker bound to the ACG slide surface. The molecular weight of the grafted mannose was identified by mass spectrometry, and the slide was subjected to biotinylated ConA binding followed by Cy3-tagged streptavidin detection. This method was further extended to the preparation of glycan arrays containing lactose and the cancer antigen Globo H.

Trityl-derivatized carbohydrates immobilized on a polystyrene microplate

Carbohydrate biosensors, including carbohydrate arrays, are attracting increased attention for the comprehensive and high-throughput investigation of protein-carbohydrate interactions. Here, we describe an effective approach to fabricating a robust microplate-based carbohydrate array capable of probing protein binding and screening for inhibitors in a high-throughout manner. This approach involves the derivatization of carbohydrates with a trityl group through an alkyl linker and the immobilization of the trityl-derivatized carbohydrates (mannose and maltose) onto microplates noncovalently to construct carbohydrate arrays. The trityl carbohydrate derivative has very good immobilization efficiency for polystyrene microplates and strong resistance to aqueous washing. The carbohydrate arrays can probe the interactions with the lectin Concanavalin A and screen this protein for the well-known inhibitors methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside and methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside in a high-throughput manner. The method described in this paper represents a convenient way of fabricating robust noncovalent carbohydrate arrays on microplates and offers a convenient platform for high-throughput drug screening.

Recombinant glycans on an S-layer self-assembly protein: a new dimension for nanopatterned biomaterials

Crucial biological phenomena are mediated through carbohydrates that are displayed in a defined manner and interact with molecular scale precision. We lay the groundwork for the integration of recombinant carbohydrates into a "biomolecular construction kit" for the design of new biomaterials, by utilizing the self-assembly system of the crystalline cell surface (S)-layer protein SgsE of Geobacillus stearothermophilus NRS 2004/3a. SgsE is a naturally O-glycosylated protein, with intrinsic properties that allow it to function as a nanopatterned matrix for the periodic display of glycans. By using a combined carbohydrate/protein engineering approach, two types of S-layer neoglycoproteins are produced in Escherichia coli. Based on the identification of a suitable periplasmic targeting system for the SgsE self-assembly protein as a cellular prerequisite for protein glycosylation, and on engineering of one of the natural protein O-glycosylation sites into a target for N-glycosylation, the heptasaccharide from the AcrA protein of Campylobacter jejuni and the O7 polysaccharide of E. coli are co- or post-translationally transferred to the S-layer protein by the action of the oligosaccharyltransferase PglB. The degree of glycosylation of the S-layer neoglycoproteins after purification from the periplasmic fraction reaches completeness. Electron microscopy reveals that recombinant glycosylation is fully compatible with the S-layer protein self-assembly system. Tailor-made ("functional") nanopatterned, self-assembling neoglycoproteins may open up new strategies for influencing and controlling complex biological systems with potential applications in the areas of biomimetics, drug targeting, vaccine design, or diagnostics.

Glycan microarray of Globo H and related structures for quantitative analysis of breast cancer

Cancer-associated carbohydrate antigens are often found on the surface of cancer cells. Understanding their roles in cancer progression will lead to the development of new therapeutics and high-sensitivity diagnostics for cancers. Globo H is a member of this family, which is highly expressed on breast cancer cells. Here, we report the development of a glycan microarray of Globo H and its analogs for measurement of the dissociation constants on surface (K(D,surf)) with three different monoclonal antibodies (VK-9, Mbr1, and anti-SSEA-3), to deduce their binding specificity. The glycan microarray was also used to detect the amount of antibodies present in the plasma of breast cancer patients and normal blood donors. It was shown that the amount of antibodies against Globo H from breast cancer patients were significantly higher than normal blood donors, providing a new tool for possible breast cancer diagnosis. Compared with the traditional ELISA method, this array method required only atto-mole amounts of materials and is more effective and more sensitive (5 orders of magnitude). The glycan microarray thus provides a new platform for use to monitor the immune response to carbohydrate epitopes after vaccine therapy or during the course of cancer progression.

A glycoconjugate antigen based on the recognition motif of a broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus antibody, 2G12, is immunogenic but elicits antibodies unable to bind to the self glycans of gp120

The glycan shield of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 contributes to viral evasion from humoral immune responses. However, the shield is recognized by the HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody (Ab), 2G12, at a relatively conserved cluster of oligomannose glycans. The discovery of 2G12 raises the possibility that a carbohydrate immunogen may be developed that could elicit 2G12-like neutralizing Abs and contribute to an AIDS vaccine. We have previously dissected the fine specificity of 2G12 and reported that the synthetic tetramannoside (Man(4)) that corresponds to the D1 arm of Man(9)GlcNAc(2) inhibits 2G12 binding to gp120 as efficiently as Man(9)GlcNAc(2) itself, indicating the potential use of Man(4) as a building block for creating immunogens. Here, we describe the development of neoglycoconjugates displaying variable copy numbers of Man(4) on bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules by conjugation to Lys residues. The increased valency enhances the apparent affinity of 2G12 for Man(4) up to a limit which is achieved at approximately 10 copies per BSA molecule, beyond which no further enhancement is observed. Immunization of rabbits with BSA-(Man(4))(14) elicits significant serum Ab titers to Man(4). However, these Abs are unable to bind gp120. Further analysis reveals that the elicited Abs bind a variety of unbranched and, to a lesser extent, branched Man(9) derivatives but not natural N-linked oligomannose containing the chitobiose core. These results suggest that Abs can be readily elicited against the D1 arm; however, potential differences in the presentation of Man(4) on neoglycoconjugates, compared to glycoproteins, poses challenges for eliciting anti-mannose Abs capable of cross-reacting with gp120 and HIV-1.

Glycan arrays: biological and medical applications

Carbohydrates and their conjugates are involved in various biological events, including viral and bacterial infection, the immune response, differentiation and development, and the progression of tumor cell metastasis. Glycan arrays are a new technology that has enabled the high-sensitivity and rapid analysis carbohydrate–protein interaction and contribute to significant advances in glycomics. Glycan arrays use a minute amount of materials and can be used for high-throughput profiling and quantitative analysis and provide information for the development of carbohydrate-based vaccines and new drug discovery.