Inhibitory effects of fatty acid monoesters of 2-O-beta-D-glucosylglycerol on Epstein-Barr virus activation

In a screening for cancer chemopreventing agents several glycosylglycerols were found to be active. In order to optimize the anti-tumor activity of this class of compounds, a series of 1-O-acyl-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-sn-glycerols differing in the acyl chain length, which varied from C4 to C18, were examined for their in vitro anti-tumor promoting effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-BA) activation induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Among the compounds tested, the monohexanoyl derivative was the most active and, noteworthy, the most potent compound of the glycosylglycerol series hitherto known.

Enzymic acylation of methyl D- and L-glycopyranosides: influence of the 3-hydroxyl group

Porcine pancreatic (PPL), Candida cylindracea (CCL) and Pseudomonas cepacia (LPS) lipases, suspended in organic solvents, were used to regioselectively acylate methyl 6-O-butyryl-alpha-D- and L-allopyranosides and methyl 6-O-butyryl-3-deoxy-alpha-D- and L-ribo-hexopyranosides. Both the D- and the L-3-deoxy sugars showed a complete regioselectivity, while the reactions of the allosides proved to be less regioselective. This indicates that the presence of the hydroxyl group at C-3 is an unfavourable factor for the action of the lipases.