Rigidified multivalent lactose molecules and their interactions with mammalian galectins: a route to selective inhibitors

New and rigid multivalent lactose molecules were prepared. The structures contain lactose-2-aminothiazoline units at the periphery that were formed from a cyclisation of the thiourea sulphur onto the triple bond of the spacer. The lactosides were evaluated as inhibitors against lectin binding in a solid phase inhibition assay. In this assay the glycoprotein asialofetuin was immobilized onto the surface of microtiter plate wells, mimicking cell surface presentation, while mammalian galectins-1, -3 or -5 were in solution. Between the three galectins, the folding pattern and sequence are closely related but the topology of presentation of the carbohydrate recognition domains differs. Strong multivalency effects were observed for the tetravalent lactoside in the inhibition of galectin-3 binding with enhancements of almost 4300-fold compared to lactose. Remarkable selectivity was obtained in the inhibition since relative potencies of the tetravalent lactoside with the proto type galectins-1 and -5 did not exceed a factor of 143 relative to lactose. The binding of the lactosides to galectin-3 was also studied by fluorescence spectroscopy with all components in solution. These studies showed no multivalency effects in the inherent binding affinities.     

First demonstration of differential inhibition of lectin binding by synthetic tri- and tetravalent glycoclusters from cross-coupling of rigidified 2-propynyl lactoside

The interplay of mammalian lectins such as galectins with cellular glycoconjugates is intimately involved in crucial reaction pathways including tumor cell adhesion, migration or growth regulation. These clinically relevant functions explain the interest in designing glycoclusters with potent activity to interfere with lectin binding. In view of the perspective for medical applications the following objective arises: to correlate topological factors of ligand display most favorably to reactivity against endogenous lectins. To date, plant agglutinins have commonly been used as models. Properly addressing this issue we first prepared di- to tetravalent clusters from 2-propynyl lactoside under mild oxidative homocoupling conditions and using the Sonogashira palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with triiodobenzene or pentaerythritol cores. These products were tested for bioactivity in a competitive solid-phase assay using different labeled sugar receptors as probes, i,e. the beta-trefoil mistletoe lectin, the natural lactoside-binding immunoglobulin G fraction from human serum and three mammalian galectins from two subgroups. The lactose headgroups in the derivatives retained ligand properties. Differences in inhibitory capacity were marked between the galectins. In contrast to homodimeric proto-type galectins-1 and -7 significant inhibition of galectin-3 binding with a 7-fold increase in relative potency was observed for the trivalent compound. In comparison, the binding of the beta-trefoil mistletoe agglutinin was reduced best by tetravalent substances The result for galectin-3 was independently confirmed by haemagglutination and cytofluorometric cell binding assays. These data underline the feasibility of galectin-type target selectivity by compound design despite using an identical headgroup (lactose) in synthesis.     

The function of the 5-hydroxymethyl group of lactose in enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-galactosidase from E. coli.

A series of 6-substituted methyl lactoside derivatives together with methyl allolactoside and (6S)-methyl [6-2H]lactoside have been synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. All compounds were tested as substrates for the enzyme beta-galactosidase from E. coli using progress curve kinetic methology both in single-substrate and competition experiments. The results show that the hydrolysis of methyl lactoside to a large extent takes place through an intramolecular transglycosidation reaction via allolactoside. Furthermore, methyl 6-amino-6-deoxy-D-glucopyranoside proved to be an ihibitor for the enzymatic hydrolysis.     

pH dependency of ligand binding to cellobiohydrolase 1 (Cel7A). Affinity, selectivity and inhibition for designed propranolol analogues

The affinity and enantioselectivity have been determined for designed propranolol derivatives as ligands for Cel7A by capillary electrophoresis (CE) at pH 7.0. These results have been compared to measurements at pH 5.0. In agreement with previous studies, the affinity increased at the higher pH. However, the affinity was not as dependent of the ligand structure at pH 7.0 as at pH 5.0, and the selectivity was generally decreased. Instead, at pH 7.0, the changes in binding were mainly dependent on the presence of additional dihydroxyl groups, indicating an increased importance of the electrostatic interactions. To evaluate the pH dependent variations in binding, changes in both the ligand and in the enzyme had to be taken into account. To ensure that the ligands had the same charge in all measurements, pKa-values of all compounds were determined. The ligand-protein interaction has also been studied by inhibition experiments at both pHs to evaluate the specific binding to the active site when competing with the substrate p-nitrophenyl lactoside (pNPL). With support of docking computations we propose a hypothesis on the effect of the ligand structure and pH dependency of the binding and selectivity of amino alcohols to Cel7A.     

A self-assembled multivalent pseudopolyrotaxane for binding galectin-1

A self-assembled pseudopolyrotaxane consisting of lactoside-displaying cyclodextrin (CD) "beads" threaded onto a linear polyviologen "string" was investigated for its ability to inhibit galectin-1-mediated T-cell agglutination. The CDs of the pseudopolyrotaxane are able to spin around the axis of the polymer chain as well as to move back and forth along its backbone to alter the presentation of its ligand. This supramolecular superstructure incorporates all the advantages of polymeric structures, such as the ability to span large distances, along with a distinctively dynamic presentation of its lactoside ligands to afford a neoglycoconjugate that can adjust to the relative stereochemistries of the lectin's binding sites. The pseudopolyrotaxane exhibited a valency-corrected 10-fold enhancement over native lactose in the agglutination assay, which was greater than the enhancements observed for lactoside-bearing trivalent glycoclusters and a lactoside-bearing chitosan polymer tested using the same assay. The experimental results indicate that supramolecular architectures, such as the pseudopolyrotaxane, provide tools for investigating protein-carbohydrate interactions.     

Synthesis and Biological Studies of O3-Aryl Galactosides as Galectin Inhibitors

β-Galactose derivatives have recently been reported to selectively inhibit galectin-3, and a library of O3-arylated galactosides with varying substitution patterns was designed to study such inhibitions further. The O3-arylated galactosides were synthesized using diaryliodonium salts under mild and transition metal free conditions, providing the target products in moderate to good yields. An O3-trifluoroethylated galactoside was also synthesized using iodonium salt chemistry. Azido-substituted products were subsequently transformed into the corresponding triazoles. After deprotection, a selection of galactoside derivatives were evaluated for inhibitory potencies against galectins-1, 3, 4 N (N-terminal domain), 4 C (C-terminal domain), 7, 8 N, 8 C, 9 N, and 9 C and one compound with promising affinity and selectivity for both the N- and C-terminal domain of galectin-9 was discovered.     

Efficient synthesis of globoside and isogloboside tetrasaccharides by using beta(1-->3) N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase/UDP-N-acetylglucosamine C4 epimerase fusion protein

The beta(1-->3) N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase/UDP-N-acetylglucosamine C4 epimerase fusion protein was constructed and used in coupled enzymatic reactions to synthesize a variety of globotetraose and isoglobotetraose derivatives from the corresponding lactoside acceptors.     

Structural analysis of glycosphingolipid analogues obtained by the saccharide primer method using CE‐ESI‐MS

A glycosphingolipid analogue (12‐azidododecyl β‐lactoside) as a saccharide primer has been shown to be useful for the synthesis of oligosaccharide libraries by mammalian cells. In the present study, CE‐ESI‐MS was employed to elucidate the structure of glycosphingolipid analogues derived from 12‐azidododecyl β‐lactoside (Lac‐C12N3) by mammalian cells. MDCK cells and COLO201 cells were cultured with Lac‐C12N3, and the glycosylated products secreted into the medium were collected and separated into acidic and neutral products by column chromatography. The acidic products could be directly analyzed by CE‐ESI‐MS, while the neutral products were converted to anionic derivatives via a reaction with propiolic acid. With this method, it was possible to analyze both acidic and neutral products glycosylated by MDCK cells and COLO201 cells at high sensitivity.     

Novel Selectivity in Carbohydrate Reactions Ii. Selective 6-O-Glycosylation of a Partially Protected Lactoside 1 2

Abstract

A novel regioselectivity was observed in the silver salt promoted glycosylation of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl 3′-O-benzyl-β-D-lactoside using acetobromogalactose as the glycosyl donor. The resulting trisaccharide, obtained in 67% yield, was shown to have the newly formed β-glycosidic linkage at the O-6 position of the lactoside. This was confirmed by synthesis of the authentic product by an alternate route. The novel regioselectivity observed is attributed to the presence of the axially disposed 4′-OH group in the lactoside acceptor.

     

Synthesis of multivalent N-acetyl lactosamine modified quantum dots for the study of carbohydrate and galectin-3 interactions

Ternary core/shell CdSeS/ZnS-QDs coated with N-acetyl lactosamine was prepared as a fluorescent probe to study the interactions of N-acetyl lactosamine and galectin-3. The synthesis of N-acetyl lactosamine was achieved through the ‘azidoiodoglycosylation’ method. The amount of ligand coated on QDs was determined by ¹H NMR and ICP-OES. The interactions between carbohydrates and galectin-3 were measured using SPR. The results revealed that the affinity of galectin-3 with di- and multivalent N-acetyl lactosamine increased 20 and 184-fold, respectively. The prepared glyco-QDs could be used as an efficient fluorescent probe to study carbohydrates and galectin-3 interactions.     

Biosynthesis of conjugatable saccharidic moieties of GM2 and GM3 gangliosides by engineered E. coli

Oligosaccharidic moieties of GM(2) and GM(3) gangliosides bearing an allyl or a propargyl aglycon, are efficiently biosynthesized on the gram scale by growing metabolically engineered Escherichia coli cells in the presence of the corresponding lactoside acceptors and sialic acid.     

Prevention of evaporation of small-volume sample solutions for capillary electrophoresis using a mineral-oil overlay.

The suppression of evaporation of water from small volumes of sample solutions or reagents for capillary electrophoresis by the use of a mineral-oil overlay was investigated in affinophoresis applications, in which the affinity constant of a mutant protein of recombinant human galectin-1 to a lactose affinophore, a triply negative charged ion having a lactoside as an affinity ligand, was determined. When an injection was carried out from a minimum of 20 microL of an aqueous solution beneath the oil overlay, no oil contamination inside the capillary was observed, provided the capillary was cleanly cut so that the end was flat, and the polyimide coating had been removed for a distance of about 2 mm from the end. Affinophoresis was carried out using 20 microL of an affinophore solution covered with an oil overlay. The abnormalities in the electropherograms as the result of the evaporation of the water from the solution during storage prior to use in an automatic operation of a capillary electrophoresis instrument were suppressed, with respect to the formation of a base line gap, an increase in the detection time of a marker ion and an increase in the initial current. A solution in a vial could be used repeatedly for a longer period of time when overlaid with mineral oil than in the absence of an overlay. The use of a mineral-oil overlay is a simple but very efficient technique for solving the problem of the evaporation of water from small volumes of aqueous solutions for use in capillary electrophoresis.     

Screening for galectin-3 inhibitors from synthetic lacto-N-biose libraries using microscale affinity chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

The synthesis and screening of two beta-D-Galp-(1-3)-beta-d-GlcpN (lacto-N-biose) disaccharide libraries are reported. Solution-phase synthetic modifications at the HO-2' and NH positions were performed in an effort to enhance the affinity toward galectin-3, a galactose-binding protein involved in tumor metastasis, apoptosis, and inflammation. The libraries were screened for galectin-3 binding by microscale frontal affinity chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (FAC/MS) allowing for rapid ranking of the different inhibitors and the determination of the galectin-3 binding Kd's. Compounds bearing a hydrophobic substituent on the NH group showed the highest affinity for the lectin. The N-naphthoyl derivative (Kd = 10.6 microM) was the best inhibitor with a 7 times increased affinity as compared to the N-acetyl parent compound (Kd = 73.3 microM).     

马来酰胺类糖原合成酶激酶-3β抑制剂的分子对接和三维定量构效关系

通过分子对接和三维定量构效关系(3D-QSAR)两种方法来确定两类马来酰胺类的糖原合成酶激酶-3β(GSK-3β)抑制剂的结合方式.首先,用分子对接确定抑制剂与GSK-3β的结合模式及其相互作用;然后用比较分子力场分析法(CoMFA)与比较分子相似性指数分析法(CoMSIA)对48个化合物做三维定量构效关系的分析.两种方法得出的交互验证回归系数分别为0.669(CoMFA)和0.683(CoMSIA),证明该模型具有很好的统计相关性,同时也说明该模型具有较高的预测能力.根据该模型提供的信息,设计出9个预测性较好的分子.     

马来酰胺类糖原合成酶激酶-3β抑制剂的分子对接和三维定量构效关系

通过分子对接和三维定量构效关系(3D-QSAR)两种方法来确定两类马来酰胺类的糖原合成酶激酶-3β(GSK-3β)抑制剂的结合方式. 首先, 用分子对接确定抑制剂与GSK-3β结合模式及其相互作用; 然后用比较分子力场分析法(CoMFA)与比较分子相似性指数分析法(CoMSIA)对48个化合物做三维定量构效关系的分析. 两种方法得出的交互验证回归系数分别为0.669(CoMFA)和0.683(CoMSIA), 证明该模型具有很好的统计相关性, 同时也说明该模型具有较高的预测能力.根据该模型提供的信息, 设计出9个预测活性较好的分子.     

Synthesis of a phenyl thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside library from 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene: discovery of efficient and selective monosaccharide inhibitors of galectin-7

The galectins are a family of [small beta]-galactoside-binding proteins that have been implicated in cancer and inflammation processes. Herein, we report the synthesis of a library of 28 compounds that was tested for binding to galectins-1, -3, -7, -8N and -9N. An aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction between 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and a galacto thiol gave 5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside. This versatile intermediate was then modified in a two dimensional manner: either by further substitution of the second fluoride by amines or thiols, or by reduction of the nitro groups and acylation of the resulting amines, or both. Deacetylation then gave a library of aromatic beta-galactosides that showed variable inhibitory activity against the different galectins, as shown by screening with a fluorescence-polarisation assay. Particularly efficient inhibitors were found against galectin-7, while less impressive enhancements of inhibitor affinity over methyl beta-D-galactopyranoside were found for galectin-1, -3, -8N and -9N. The best inhibitors against galectin-7 showed significantly higher affinity (K(d) as low as 140 microM) than both beta-methyl galactoside (K(d) 4.8 mM) and the unsubstituted beta-phenyl thiogalactoside (non-inhibitory). The best inhibitors against galectin-7 were poor against the other galectins and thus have potential as structurally simple and selective tools for dissecting biological functions of galectin-7.     

Design of 5H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazine-2-phenyl Ether Derivatives as Potential JAK3 Inhibitor Based on Surflex Docking,3D-QSAR Modeling and Reverse Docking

Tyrosine protein kinase JAK3 has a very important significance on organ transplantation and the treatment of autoimmune diseases, which has been a potential therapeutic target. In recent years, a large number of JAK3 inhibitors have been reported. However, the poor selectivity and side effects have limited their widespread use in clinical practice. In order to solve this problem, 52 potential small-molecule inhibitors were combined with JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 respectively to obtain the optimal conformation of small molecules. On the basis of that we established 3D quantitative structure-activity relationships(3D-QSAR) model. Comparative molecular field analysis(Co MFA) and molecular similarity analysis(Co MSIA) were used to evaluate the model. We took advantage of reverse docking to explore the underlying toxicity and side effects. Combining 3D quantitative structure-activity relationships, surflex-dock and reverse docking results, ten 5 H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazine-2-phenyl ether derivatives based on the most optimal selectivity and activity compound 39 were designed. It can be seen from Co MFA and Co MSIA predicted active values of designed molecules that the selectivity of designed small molecules was improved obviously. Among them, compounds 61 and 62 could become the potential small molecule compounds.     

Immobilization of Anti-Galectin-3 onto Polysiloxane–Polyvinyl Alcohol Disks for Tumor Prostatic Diseases Diagnosis

This work aimed to immobilize the antibody anti-galectin-3 onto polysiloxane–polyvinyl alcohol (POS-PVA) support, to evaluate its capacity to capture the serum antigen galectin-3 and to quantify by ELISA the antigen levels in sera from patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma (PA) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and healthy individuals. Also, for comparative effect, the galectin-3 expression in the prostate tissue through immunohistochemistry was evaluated. The optical density (galectin-3 level) values established for the sera from PA and BPH patients were lower compared with those found for the healthy individuals. Galectin-3 immunohistochemically showed a significant increase and reduction of the cytoplasmatic protein expression in BPH and PA, respectively, compared with the normal prostate. These results showed that POS-PVA disks could be used as solid phase to immobilize serum galectins and in immunoassays procedures for the correspondent IgG anti-galectins detection in human sera.     

Selectively Deoxyfluorinated N-Acetyllactosamine Analogues as 19F NMR Probes to Study Carbohydrate-Galectin Interactions

Galectins are widely expressed galactose-binding lectins implied, for example, in immune regulation, metastatic spreading, and pathogen recognition. N-Acetyllactosamine (Galβ1-4GlcNAc, LacNAc) and its oligomeric or glycosylated forms are natural ligands of galectins. To probe substrate specificity and binding mode of galectins, we synthesized a complete series of six mono-deoxyfluorinated analogues of LacNAc, in which each hydroxyl has been selectively replaced by fluorine while the anomeric position has been protected as methyl β-glycoside. Initial evaluation of their binding to human galectin-1 and -3 by ELISA and ¹⁹F NMR T₂-filter revealed that deoxyfluorination at C3, C4′ and C6′ completely abolished binding to galectin-1 but very weak binding to galectin-3 was still detectable. Moreover, deoxyfluorination of C2′ caused an approximately 8-fold increase in the binding affinity towards galectin-1, whereas binding to galectin-3 was essentially not affected. Lipophilicity measurement revealed that deoxyfluorination at the Gal moiety affects log P very differently compared to deoxyfluorination at the GlcNAc moiety.