Synthesis of tetra- and hexasaccharide fragments corresponding to the O-antigenic polysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae

The preparation of linear tetra- (1) and hexasaccharides (2), containing the repeating unit [→3)-β-Galf-(1→3)-α-Galp-(1→] present in the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae is described. The key step in their synthesis is the α-selective galactopyranosylation of 3-OH di- and tetrasaccharide acceptors (20 and 22) with a disaccharide trichloroacetimidate donor 19 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate in a diethyl ether–CH₂Cl₂ mixture as solvent.     

Synthesis of structures corresponding to the capsular polysaccharide of Neisseria meningitidis group A

Four differently substituted trimers of the CPS repeating unit have been synthesised in order to investigate the dependence on oligosaccharide size, acetylation and mode of phosphorylation of glycoconjugate vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis group A. A spacer-containing starting monomer, a H-phosphonate elongating monomer and a 6-O-phosphorylated H-phosphonate cap monomer have been synthesised and coupled together to afford, after deprotection, the target trimer structures differing in their acetylation and phosphorylation substitution pattern.     

Synthesis of penta- and hexasaccharide fragments corresponding to the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O150

The chemical synthesis of a pentasaccharide and a hexasaccharide corresponding to the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O150 has been achieved using sequential glycosylation and [3+3] block glycosylation strategies. Suitably protected monosaccharide synthons have been prepared from the commercially available reducing sugars and then stereoselectively coupled to give the pentasaccharide and a hexasaccharide in excellent yields. 4-Methoxyphenyl and 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl groups have been used as the anomeric-protecting groups in the target pentasaccharide and a hexasaccharide, respectively.     

Synthesis of a d,d- and l,d-heptose-containing hexasaccharide corresponding to a structure from Haemophilus ducreyi lipopolysaccharides

The synthesis of a linear hexasaccharide, 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl (β-d-galactopyranosyl)-(1→4)-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1→3)-(β-d-galactopyranosyl)-(1→4)-(d-glycero-α-d-manno-heptopyranosyl)-(1→6)-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-l-glycero-α-d-manno-heptopyranoside, corresponding to a structure found in Haemophilus ducreyi LPS, is described. A Barbier reaction between benzyloxymethyl chloride and a properly protected 6-aldo-1-thio-mannopyranoside yielded both the d,d- and the l,d-heptopyranoside (2 and 3, ratio 2:3), which were separated and both used in the synthesis. p-Methoxybenzyl and chloroacetyl groups were employed as temporary protecting groups, selectively removed in the presence of the persistent benzyl, acetyl, benzoyl and isopropylidene groups by treatment with DDQ/H₂O and hydrazine dithiocarbonate, respectively. Thioglycosides were utilised as donors throughout using either NIS/TfOH or DMTST as promoters. The introduction of the spacer into thioglycoside 5 was high-yielding (95%) but with low stereoselectivity (α:β 5:3). All other glycosylations are completely stereoselective. The target hexasaccharide is obtained via a 3+3 block approach with the yield in the final NIS/TfOH-promoted coupling between an N,N-diacetyl-trisaccharide thioglycosyl donor 20 and a 4′′-OH trisaccharide acceptor 13 being 75%.     

Synthesis of the hexasaccharide repeating unit corresponding to the cell wall lipopolysaccharide of Azospirillum irakense KBC1

A convenient chemical synthesis of the hexasaccharide repeating unit of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide of Azospirillum irakense KBC1 has been successfully achieved. A stereo- and regioselective [4 + 2] block glycosylation strategy has been used to obtain the target hexasaccharide as its octyl glycoside. All synthetic intermediates have been prepared in high yields from commercially available reducing sugars following a series of protection–deprotection reactions. An oxidation–reduction methodology has been applied to convert β-d-glucosidic unit to a β-d-mannosidic moiety.     

Synthesis of di- to hexasaccharide 1,2-linked beta-mannopyranan oligomers, a terminal S-linked tetrasaccharide congener and the corresponding BSA glycoconjugates.

Homo oligomers of (1-->2)-beta-D-mannopyranosyl residues have been synthesized in order to study the unique immunological properties of the cell wall mannan of C. albicans. p-Chlorobenzyl-protected ulosyl bromide (2) in combination with the sterically hindered, participating solvent, pivaloyl nitrile, facilitated a new approach for the synthesis of these unique homooligomers ranging from disaccharide up to hexasaccharide. The glycosyl donor 2 demonstrates high diastereoselectivity over both the glycosylation and subsequent reduction step and minimizes the number of protecting group manipulations necessary for the synthesis. Congeners of the (1-->2)-beta-D-mannotetraose were synthesized containing a terminal S-linked (1-->2)-beta-D-mannopyranosyl residue. Deprotection of these compounds afforded the propyl glycosides as well as oligomers with amino terminated aglyconic tethers. The tethers were generated from the oligosaccharide allyl glycosides by photoaddition with 2-aminoethanethiol. The functionalized haptens were coupled to BSA via squarate conjugation, and the degree of incorporation was established by TOF mass spectrometry.     

Synthesis of fragments of the capsular polysaccharide of haemophilus influenzae type B

The synthesis of fragments, comprising two and four repeating units, of the title polysaccharide is described.     

Synthesis of 1,2,3-triazolyl analog of Neisseria meningitidis A capsular polysaccharide

Abstract

Towards constructing a stable, non-hydrolyzable linkage for Neisseria meningitidis type A (MenA) polysaccharide, the phosphate bridge of its (1→6)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating unit was replaced by a triazolyl analog using Cu(I) catalyzed click reaction. The synthesis involved anomeric azidation of N-acetyl-D-mannosamine derivative from its acetate precursor using stoichiometric amount of FeCl₃ and one-pot synthesis of precursors for di- and tri- triazolyl saccharides with an azidoethyl spacer at the reducing end for bioconjugation.     

Synthesis of the trisaccharide repeating unit of capsular polysaccharide from Klebsiella pneumoniae

The incidences of primary, pyrogenic liver abscess complicated by meningitis and septic endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae has increased globally. Earlier studies have shown that the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Klebsiella pneumoniae plays an important role in the resistance to phagocytosis and related pathogenicity. The first chemical synthesis of the trisaccharide repeating unit of this CPS has been achieved via stereoselective glycosylation with orthogonal and appropriate protecting groups. A new method for the pyruvylation of trans diol was developed.     

Synthesis of oligosaccharides corresponding to Vibrio cholerae O139 polysaccharide structures containing dideoxy sugars and a cyclic phosphate

A spacer-equipped tetrasaccharide, p-aminocyclohexylethyl alpha-l-Colp-(1-->2)-beta-d-Galp-(1-->3)-[alpha-l-Colp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc, containing a 4,6-cyclic phosphate in the galactose residue, has been synthesised. The structure corresponds to a part of the repeating unit of the capsular (and lipo-) polysaccharide of the endemic bacteria Vibrio cholerae type O139 synonym Bengal. The synthetic strategy allows continuous syntheses of the complete O139 hexasaccharide repeating unit as well as of the structurally related repeating unit of serotype O22. Starting from ethyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside, a thioglycoside tetrasaccharide donor block was constructed through two orthogonal glycosylations with glycosyl bromide donors. First, a properly protected galactose moiety was introduced using silver triflate as promoter and subsequently the two colitose residues, carrying electron-withdrawing protecting groups for stability reasons, under halide-assisted conditions. The tetrasaccharide block was then linked to the spacer in a NIS-TMSOTf-promoted coupling. Transformation of the azido group into an acetamido group using H2S followed by removal of temporary protecting acetyl groups gave a 4',6'-diol, which was next phosphorylated with methyl dichlorophosphate and deprotected to yield the 4,6-cyclic phosphate tetrasaccharide target structure.     

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of carba analogues from Neisseria meningitidis A capsular polysaccharide

The Gram-negative encapsulated bacterium Neisseria meningitidis type A (MenA) is a major cause of meningitis in developing countries, especially in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. The development and manufacture of an efficient glycoconjugate vaccine against MenA is greatly hampered by the poor hydrolytic stability of its capsular polysaccharide, consisting of (1→6)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating units. The replacement of the ring oxygen with a methylene group to get a carbocyclic analogue leads to the loss of the acetalic character of the phosphodiester and consequently to the enhancement of its chemical stability. Here we report the synthesis of oligomers (mono-, di- and trisaccharide) of carba-N-acetylmannosamine-1-O-phosphate as candidates for stabilized analogues of the corresponding fragments of MenA capsular polysaccharide. Each of the synthesized compounds contains a phosphodiester-linked aminopropyl spacer at its reducing end to allow for protein conjugation. The inhibition abilities of the synthetic molecules were investigated by a competitive ELISA assay, showing that only the carba-disaccharide is recognized by a polyclonal anti-MenA serum with an affinity similar to a native MenA oligosaccharide with average polymerization degree of 3.     

Synthesis of a hexasaccharide repeating unit from Bacillus anthracis vegetative cell walls

The first synthesis of hexasaccharide 1 representing a repeat unit of a polysaccharide specific to the vegetative cell wall of Bacillus anthracis is reported. The synthetic hexasaccharide is equipped with an n-pentenyl handle at the reducing terminus to allow for further functionalization. Key transformations during the synthesis are the conversion of a glucose into a mannosazide residue, a (2+2) coupling, followed by double alpha-galactosylation to furnish the hexasaccharide, and global deprotection under Birch conditions.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of phosphono analogues of capsular polysaccharide fragments from Neisseria meningitidis A

Neisseria meningitidis type A (MenA) is a Gram-negative encapsulated bacterium that may cause explosive epidemics of meningitis, especially in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. The development and manufacture of an efficient glycoconjugate vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis A is greatly hampered by the poor hydrolytic stability of its capsular polysaccharide, which is made up of (1-->6)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating units. Since this chemical lability is a product of the inherent instability of the phosphodiester bridges, here we report the synthesis of phosphonoester-linked oligomers of N-acetyl mannosamine as candidates for stabilised analogues of the corresponding phosphate-bridged saccharides. The installation of each interglycosidic phosphonoester linkage was achieved by Mitsunobu coupling of a glycosyl C-phosphonate building block with the 6-OH moiety of a mannosaminyl residue. Each of the synthesised compounds contains an O-linked aminopropyl spacer at its reducing end (alpha- or beta-oriented) to allow for protein conjugation. The relative affinities of the synthetic molecules were investigated by a competitive ELISA assay and showed that a human polyclonal anti-MenA serum can recognise both the phosphonoester-bridged fragments 1-3 and their monomeric subunits, glycosides 20 and 21. Moreover, the biological results suggest that the abilities of these compounds to inhibit the binding of a specific antibody to MenA polysaccharide are dependent on the chain lengths of the molecules, but independent on the orientations of the anomeric linkers.     

Structural studies of the Klebsiella type 57 capsular polysaccharide.

The structure of the capsular polysaccharide from Klebsiella type 57 has been investigated. Methylation analysis, uronic acid degradation, modified Smith degradation and graded acid hydrolysis were the principle methods used. Pure oligomeric fragments were isolated using the three methods of degradation and characterized by chemical and physical methods. These studies show the structure to consist of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit (all sugar residues have the D-configuration and are pyranosidic).     

Evaluation of Relative Aptamer Binding to Campylobacter jejuni Bacteria Using Affinity Probe Capillary Electrophoresis

Abstract

A qualitative capillary electrophoresis immunoassay was developed for the first-time to evaluate aptamer binding to bacterial cells. Binding affinity of aptamers developed against a Campylobacter jejuni bacterial cell target, relative to other common food-borne pathogens was investigated and specific binding affinity was evidenced by pronounced mobility shift and peak broadening with increasing bacteria concentration for both aptamers. Little to no mobility shift was observed for food-borne pathogens, Salmonella typhirium and Escherichia coli, even when increasing concentrations 10-fold over target. These results suggest that affinity probe capillary electrophoresis could be useful for qualitative screening of aptamer candidates for bacterial cell targets.