NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics, and conformation of a synthetic octasaccharide fragment of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

A synthetic octasaccharide fragment (2) of the O-specific polysaccharide (1) of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 has been studied as its methyl glycoside by one- and two-dimensional homo- and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments have been generated, and the 13C spin-lattice relaxation times have been measured for the octasaccharide 2. A congener (6) of this octasaccharide containing one D-galactose residue with a specific 13C label at C-1 has been synthesized and used to measure interglycosidic 13C-1H coupling by the 2D J-resolved 1H NMR method. From the NMR data, three types of conformational restraints were developed: (a) 29 inter-residue, distance restraints; (b) 48 intra-residue, ring atom dihedral angle restraints, and (c) one heteronuclear, inter-residue dihedral angle restraint. The use of these restraints in a restrained molecular dynamics computation with simulated annealing yielded a conformation resembling a short, irregular spiral, with methyl substituents on the exterior.

Synthesis of the repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella sonnei and quantitation of its serologic activity.

The chemical synthesis of the zwitterionic disaccharide 2 is described that corresponds to the repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide (1) of the gram-negative human pathogen Shigella sonnei. Passive hemolysis inhibition tests using a hyperimmune rabbit serum raised against S. sonnei showed that the serologic activity of the disaccharide 2 is nearly 2- to 3-fold higher than those of its component monosaccharides. NMR data of 2 are in support of the proposed structure of the O-specific polysaccharide.

Synthesis of L-glucose from D-gulono-1,4-lactone.

An efficient method for the synthesis of L-glucose from D-gulono-1,4-lactone via 1,2,3,4,5-penta-O-benzyl/acetyl/benzoyl-D-gulitol is described in 34-53% overall yield.

Syntheses and immunologic properties of Escherichia coli O157 O-specific polysaccharide and Shiga toxin 1 B subunit conjugates in mice.

Escherichia coli O157 is the major cause of diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Strains causing HUS contain either Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) or Stx2, or both. In adult volunteers, conjugate vaccines of detoxified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elicited bactericidal antibodies to E. coli O157. Here, the detoxified LPS was conjugated with improved schemes to the nontoxic B subunit of Stx1. Mice injected with these bivalent conjugates elicited both bactericidal antibodies to E. coli O157 and neutralization antibodies to Stx1.

Protein conjugates of synthetic saccharides elicit higher levels of serum IgG lipopolysaccharide antibodies in mice than do those of the O-specific polysaccharide from Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

Our development of vaccines to prevent shigellosis is based on the hypothesis that a critical (protective) level of serum IgG to the O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) domain of Shigella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) confers immunity. The O-SP is a hapten and must be conjugated to a protein to induce serum antibodies. The O-SP of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (approximately 27 tetrasaccharide repeat units), prepared by acid hydrolysis of the LPS, was bound to human serum albumin (HSA) by multiple point attachment (O-SP-HSA): The molar ratio of HSA to O-SP was 1.0. Synthetic saccharides, composed of one or multiples of the O-SP tetrasaccharide, equipped with a spacer at their reducing end, were bound to HSA by a single point attachment: The average molar ratios of the saccharides to HSA ranged from 4 to 24. Serum IgG anti-LPS, elicited in mice by O-SP-HSA or synthetic tetra-, octa-, dodeca-, and hexadecasaccharide fragments, was measured by ELISA. Outbred 6-week-old female mice were injected s.c. three times at biweekly intervals with 2.5 micrograms of saccharide as a conjugate and were bled 7 days after the second and third injections. Excepting the tetramer, conjugates of the octamer, dodecamer and hexadecamer elicited IgG LPS antibodies after the second injection, a statistically significant rise (booster) after the third injection, and higher levels than those vaccinated with O-SP-HSA (P = 0.0001). The highest geometric mean levels of IgG anti-LPS were elicited by the hexadecamer with 9 chains or 9 moles of saccharide/HSA (15.5 ELISA units) followed by the octamer with 20 chains (11.1 ELISA units) and the dodecamer with 10 chains (9.52 ELISA units). Clinical evaluation of these synthetic saccharides bound to a medically useful carrier is planned.

A new, lipophilic p-alkoxybenzyl ether protecting group and its use in the synthesis of a disaccharide.

[formula: see text] In contrast to major advances in the chemical synthesis of oligosaccharides, the methods of purification of the intermediates are essentially the same as they were decades ago. Here, the synthesis of p-(dodecyloxy)benzyl chloride is described and it is demonstrated that the new p-(dodecyloxy)benzyl ether protecting group can render a protected disaccharide sufficiently lipophilic for selective adsorption on C18 silica, thus sidestepping the expensive silica gel chromatography traditionally used for the isolation of protected oligosaccharides.

Measurement of interglycosidic 3JCH coupling constants of selectively 13C labeled oligosaccharides by 2D J-resolved 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Tri-, tetra-, and penta-saccharide fragments of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 have been prepared in which a D-galactose residue of each oligosaccharide methyl glycoside derivative contains a 13C label at C-1. The interglycosidic coupling constants (3JCH) of these 13C nuclei with the H-3 nuclei of the adjacent 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose residues have been measured by two-dimensional, J-resolved 1H NMR spectroscopy. The magnitudes of these coupling constants indicate that the trisaccharide is conformationally different to the higher oligosaccharide homologs, in agreement with previous studies of 13C chemical shifts and 1JCH values.

Conformational stabilization of the altruronic acid residue in the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella sonnei/Plesiomonas shigelloides.

Complete assignments for the 1H- and the 13C-NMR spectra of the O-specific polysaccharide of S. sonnei/Plesiomonas shigelloides are reported. Evidence is presented that in this polysaccharide both pyranose residues exist preferentially in the 4C1 chair conformation and that the polysaccharide exists in the zwitterion form.

Of four murine, anti-Shigella dysenteriae type 1 O-polysaccharide antibodies, three employ V-genes that differ extensively from those of the fourth.

Three murine, monoclonal antibodies, IgM 5286 F2, IgM 5297 C1, and IgG 5338 H4 were generated against Shigella dysenteriae type 1 O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP)-conjugate. They are specific for the O-SP, which is a poly-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-al pha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-deoxy-2-amino-N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyr anosyl]. The VH and VL genes of these antibodies were cloned and their sequences determined. They showed 93% homology, but were quite different to the primary sequence of IgM 3707 E9, of the same O-SP-specificity, previously reported. The fine-specificities of both IgG 5338 H4 and IgM 3707 E9 were for the same disaccharide moiety in the O-SP, while IgMs 5286 F2 and 5297 C1 showed fine-specificity for the entire repeating unit of the O-SP. Therefore, divergent sequences can confer upon antibodies similar-, or even identical-carbohydrate-epitope fine-specificity. In addition, close primary sequence-homology does not preclude differences in antibody fine-specificity.

Purification of subunit B of Shiga toxin using a synthetic trisaccharide-based affinity matrix.

The blood group P1 antigenic trisaccharide (3), which is the receptor-binding ligand of Shiga-like toxins, is synthesized in a spacer-equipped form (32) from 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glucoside 5 and the 1-thiogalactoside building blocks 10 and 22 in a stereocontrolled, stepwise fashion. Covalent attachment of 32 to hydrazine group-containing agarose gel by reductive amination provided the P1 trisaccharide-containing affinity sorbent which was used for preparative scale isolation of subunit B of Shiga toxin.

Synthesis of a pentasaccharide fragment of Polysaccharide II of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Stereocontrolled, stepwise synthesis of decyl glycosides of alpha-(1-->2)-linked di- to pentaglucosides (1-5) is described; these constitute fragments of Polysaccharide II of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Phenyl 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-1-thio-alpha-D- glucopyranoside (7) was used as the single key intermediate, obtained from 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (6) and PhSSiMe3. Halogenolysis of 7 afforded the isolated beta bromide (10) and beta chloride (13). Solvolysis of 10 with decanol without heavy metal salts gave decyl 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (14) in a highly stereoselective reaction, in high yield. Subsequent, iterative hydrogenolytic removal of the O-benzyl group and glycosylation with the beta-chloride 13 under catalysis by silver salts afforded the protected di- to penta-saccharide glycosides 16, 19, 21, and 23, which were conventionally deblocked.

Convergent synthesis of an octasaccharide fragment of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

A stereocontrolled, convergent synthesis is described of the linear octasaccharide methyl glycoside alpha-L-Rha p-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Gal p-(1-->3)-alpha-Glc p NAc-(1-->3)-al pha-L-Rha p-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rha p-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Gal p-(1-->3) -alpha-D-Glc p NAc-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rha p-OMe (11), which corresponds to two contiguous repeating units of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

Synthesis and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of a tetra- and a hexa-saccharide fragment of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

The synthesis of the tetra- and hexa-saccharide methyl glycosides alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)- alpha-L-Rhap- OMe (1), and alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Galp-(1--> 3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc- (1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-OMe (3) is described, which represent various epitopes of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1. The following monosaccharide intermediates were used: 1,3-di-O-acetyl-2-O-benzoyl-4-O-benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranose (6 alpha), methyl 2,4-di-O-benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (7), methyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-1-thio-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (8), 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl bromide (9), methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-O-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-thio-beta-D- galactopyranoside (13), methyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D- galactopyranoside (16), and 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-bromoacetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D- glucopyranosyl chloride (19). A detailed analysis of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of oligosaccharides 1 and 3 confirmed that the hexasaccharide 3 better approaches the conformation of the native polysaccharide, than either 1 or the homologous pentasaccharide 41.

Binding of the O-antigen of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and 26 related synthetic fragments to a monoclonal IgM antibody.

Shigella dysenteriae type 1 possesses an O-antigen whose repeating unit is -->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Galp -(1-->3)-alpha-D- GlcpNAc-(1-->, where Rhap is rhamnopyranosyl, Galp is galactopyranosyl, and Glcp is glucopyranosyl. Using ligand-induced protein fluorescence change, we have measured the affinities of a monoclonal murine IgM for 26 fragments of, or related to, the structure of the O-polysaccharide and of the IgM Fab for the intact O-specific bacterial polysaccharide. Synthetic saccharides used were methyl glycosides to ensure an anomerically defined pyranosyl ring conformation. The galactosyl residue is the only monosaccharide of the antigenic epitope that shows quantifiable binding: approximately 3.0 kcal/mol of binding free energy, depending on the structure and conformation of the fragment it is a part of. Addition of an alpha-(1-->2)-linked rhamnosyl residue increases the free energy of binding significantly. We propose this rhamnopyranosyl-alpha-(1-->2)-galactopyranosyl disaccharide to be the basic determinant of the Shigella O-polysaccharide. Further extension (by linkages as in the natural antigen) of this oligosaccharidic ligand toward the upstream end (in an oligo- (or poly-)saccharide, such as A-->B-->C-->D-->E-->m, where A, B, C, D, and E are sugars and m is any moiety, such as methyl, we define A as the glycosyl- or upstream terminus, and E as the glycoside- or downstream terminus) by rhamnosyl and N-acetylglucosaminyl moieties improves the binding only minimally. The antibody is quite specific for the rhamnosyl-alpha-(1-->2)-galactosyl sequence but less so for the nature of the attachment to the galactosyl residue on the downstream side. Measurements using IgM Fab and the intact O-specific polysaccharide show that the antibody can bind internal segments on the antigen chain. The free energy of binding of this antibody for the disaccharide determinant varies from -delta G of 4.7 to 5.1 kcal/mol, depending on its flanking residues.

Synthesis of di- to penta-saccharides related to the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1, and their nuclear magnetic resonance study.

The syntheses of oligosaccharide fragments of the O-specific polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 are described, including disaccharides methyl O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (1), and methyl O-(2-deoxy-2-propionamido-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranoside (2), trisaccharide methyl O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), tetrasaccharide methyl O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->3)- O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamno -pyranoside (4), and pentasaccharide methyl O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl- (1-->3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranoside (5). The following monosaccharide building blocks were used as starting compounds: methyl 6-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-3,4-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-galact opy ranoside (8), methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-O-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-thio-beta-D- galactopyranoside (11), methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-1-thio-alpha- D-glucopyranoside (16), methyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-1-thio-alpha-D- glucopyranoside (18), methyl 2,4-di-O-benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (21), methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-1-thio-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (22), 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl bromide (23), and methyl 4-O-benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (24). Nuclear magnetic resonance data indicate that oligosaccharides 4 and 5 partially mimic the conformation of the O-specific polysaccharide of S. dys. type 1.

Synthesis of a tetrasaccharide donor corresponding to the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

O-(2,4-Di-O-benzoyl-3-O-chloroacetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-(1--> 2)-O-(3,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1--> 3)-O-(2-acetamido-4,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1--> 3)-2,4-di-O-benzoyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (1) was synthesized in a stepwise manner, using the following monosaccharide units: 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-chloroacetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl chloride, methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-2-O -(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside, and 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-3-O-chloroacetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl chloride. Compound 1 corresponds to a complete tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.

A method for glycoconjugate synthesis.

7-Formylheptyl glycosides of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose and O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranose were synthesized and were coupled by reductive amination to bovine serum albumin and aminopropyl glass, respectively.