Effect of N-acetylgalactosamine ligand valency on targeting dendrimers to hepatic cancer cells.

The display of N-acetylgalactosamine (NAcGal) ligands has shown great potential in improving the targeting of various therapeutic molecules to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a severe disease whose clinical treatment is severely hindered by limitations in delivery of therapeutic cargo. We previously used the display of NAcGal on generation 5 (G5) polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers connected through a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) brush (i.e. G5-cPEG-NAcGal; monoGal) to effectively target hepatic cancer cells and deliver a loaded therapeutic cargo. In this study, we were interested to see if tri-valent NAcGal ligands (i.e. NAcGal3) displayed on G5 dendrimers (i.e. G5-cPEG-NAcGal3; triGal) could improve their ability to target hepatic cancer cells compared to their monoGal counterparts. We therefore synthesized a library of triGal particles, with either 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, or 14 targeting branches (i.e. cPEG-NAcGal3) attached. Conventional flow cytometry studies showed that all particle formulations can label hepatic cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner, reaching 90-100% of cells labeled at either 285 or 570 nM G5, but interestingly, monoGal labeled more cells at lower concentrations. To elucidate the difference in internalization of monoGal versus triGal conjugates, we turned to multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry and quantified the amount of internalized (I) versus surface-bound (I0) conjugates to determine the ratio of internalization (I/I0) in all treatment groups. Results show that regardless of NAcGal valency, or the density of targeting branches, all particles achieve full internalization and diffuse localization throughout the cell (I/I0 ∼ 3.0 for all particle compositions). This indicates that while tri-valent NAcGal is a promising technique for targeting nanoparticles to hepatic cancer cells, mono-valent NAcGal is more efficient, contrary to what is observed with small molecules.

One-pot enzymatic production of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose (GalNAc) from 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (GlcNAc).

2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose (GalNAc) is a common monosaccharide found in biologically functional sugar chains, but its availability is often limited due to the lack of abundant natural sources. In order to produce GalNAc from abundantly available sugars, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (GlcNAc) was converted to GalNAc by a one-pot reaction using three enzymes involved in the galacto-N-biose/lacto-N-biose I pathway of bifidobacteria. Starting the reaction with 600 mM GlcNAc, 170 mM GalNAc was produced at equilibrium in the presence of catalytic amounts of ATP and UDP-Glc under optimized conditions. GalNAc was separated from GlcNAc using water-eluting cation-exchange chromatography with a commonly available cation-exchange resin.

Nickel-catalyzed stereoselective glycosylation with C(2)-N-substituted benzylidene D-glucosamine and galactosamine trichloroacetimidates for the formation of 1,2-cis-2-amino glycosides. Applications to the synthesis of heparin disaccharides, GPI anchor pseudodisaccharides, and α-GalNAc.

The 1,2-cis-2-amino glycosides are key components found within a variety of biologically important oligosaccharides and glycopeptides. Although there are remarkable advances in the synthesis of 1,2-cis-2-amino glycosides, disadvantages of the current state-of-the-art methods include limited substrate scope, low yields, long reaction times, and anomeric mixtures. We have developed a novel method for the synthesis of 1,2-cis-2-amino glycosides via nickel-catalyzed α-selective glycosylation with C(2)-N-substituted benzylidene D-glucosamine and galactosamine trichloroacetimidates. These glycosyl donors are capable of coupling to a wide variety of alcohols to provide glycoconjugates in high yields with excellent levels of α-selectivity. Additionally, only a substoichiometric amount of nickel (5-10 mol %) is required for the reaction to occur at 25 °C. The current nickel method relies on the nature of the nickel-ligand complex to control the α-selectivity. The reactive sites of the nucleophiles or the nature of the protecting groups have little effect on the α-selectivity. This methodology has also been successfully applied to both disaccharide donors and acceptors to provide the corresponding oligosaccharides in high yields and α-selectivity. The efficacy of the nickel procedure has been further applied toward the preparation of heparin disaccharides, GPI anchor pseudodisaccharides, and α-GluNAc/GalNAc. Mechanistic studies suggest that the presence of the substituted benzylidene functionality at the C(2)-amino position of glycosyl donors is crucial for the high α-selectivity observed in the coupling products. Additionally, the α-orientation of the C(1)-trichloroacetimidate group on glycosyl donors is necessary for the coupling process to occur.

Design and synthesis of bis-biotin-containing reagents for applications utilizing monoclonal antibody-based pretargeting systems with streptavidin mutants.

Previous studies have shown that pretargeting protocols, using cancer-targeting fusion proteins, composed of 4 anti-CD20 single chain Fv (scFv) fragments and streptavidin (scFv(4)-SAv), followed by a biotinylated dendrimeric N-acetyl-galactosamine blood clearing agent (CA), 1, then a radiolabeled DOTA-biotin derivative (a monobiotin), 3a, can provide effective therapy for lymphoma xenografts in mouse models. A shortcoming in this pretargeting system is that endogenous biotin may affect its efficacy in patients. To circumvent this potential problem, we investigated a pretargeting system that employs anti-CD20 scFv(4)-SAv mutant fusion proteins with radioiodinated bis-biotin derivatives. With that combination of reagents, good localization of the radiolabel to lymphoma tumor xenografts was obtained in the presence of endogenous biotin. However, the blood clearance reagents employed in the studies were ineffective, resulting in abnormally high levels of radioactivity in other tissues. Thus, in the present investigation a bis-biotin-trigalactose blood clearance reagent, 2, was designed, synthesized, and evaluated in vivo. Additionally, another DOTA-biotin derivative (a bis-biotin), 4a, was designed and synthesized, such that radiometals (e.g., (111)In, (90)Y, (177)Lu) could be used in the pretargeting protocols employing scFv(4)-SAv mutant fusion proteins. Studies in mice demonstrated that the CA 2 was more effective than CA 1 at removing [(125)I]scFv(4)-SAv-S45A mutant fusion proteins from blood. Another in vivo study compared tumor targeting and normal tissue concentrations of the new reagents (2 and [(111)In]4b) with standard reagents (1 and [(111)In]3b) used in pretargeting protocols. The study showed that lymphoma xenografts could be targeted in the presence of endogenous biotin when anti-CD20 fusion proteins containing SAv mutants (scFv(4)-SAv-S45A or scFv(4)-SAv-Y43A) were employed in combination with CA 2 and [(111)In]4b. Importantly, normal tissue concentrations of [(111)In]4b were similar to those obtained using the standard reagents (1 and [(111)In]3b), except that the blood and liver concentrations were slightly higher with the new reagents. While the reasons for the higher blood and liver concentrations are unknown, the differences in the galactose structures of the clearance agents 1 and 2 may play a role.

Stimulation of liver-directed cholesterol flux in mice by novel N-acetylgalactosamine-terminated glycolipids with high affinity for the asialoglycoprotein receptor.

OBJECTIVE: Interventions that promote liver-directed cholesterol flux can suppress atherosclerosis, as demonstrated for scavenger receptor-BI overexpression in hypercholesterolemic mice. In analogy, we speculate that increasing lipoprotein flux to the liver via the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPr) may be of therapeutic value in hypercholesterolemia. METHODS AND RESULTS: A bifunctional glycolipid (LCO-Tyr-GalNAc3) with a high-nanomolar affinity for the ASGPr (inhibition constant 2.1+/-0.2 nmol/L) was synthesized that showed rapid association with lipoproteins on incubation with serum. Prior incubation of LCO-Tyr-GalNAc3 with radiolabeled low-density lipoprotein or high-density lipoprotein (0.5 microg/microg of protein) resulted in a dramatic induction of the liver uptake of these lipoproteins when injected intravenously into mice (70+/-3% and 78+/-1%, respectively, of the injected dose at 10 minutes of low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein), as mediated by the ASGPr on hepatocytes. Intravenously injected LCO-Tyr-GalNAc3 quantitatively incorporated into serum lipoproteins and evoked a strong and persistent (> or =48 hour) cholesterol-lowering effect in normolipidemic mice (37+/-2% at 6 hours) and hyperlipidemic apoE(-/-) mice (32+/-2% at 6 hours). The glycolipid was also effective on subcutaneous administration. CONCLUSIONS: LCO-Tyr-GalNAc3 is very effective in promoting cholesterol uptake by hepatocytes and, thus, may be a promising alternative for the treatment of those hyperlipidemic patients who do not respond sufficiently to conventional cholesterol-lowering therapies.

Selenosugars are key and urinary metabolites for selenium excretion within the required to low-toxic range.

Essential micronutrient selenium is excreted into the urine andor expired after being transformed to methylated metabolites. Monomethylated selenium is excreted into the urine in response to a supply within the required to low-toxic range, whereas tri- and dimethylated selenium increase with excessive supply at a toxic dose. Here we show that the major urinary selenium metabolite within the required to low-toxic range is a selenosugar. The structure of 1beta-methylseleno-N-acetyl-d-galactosamine was deduced from the spectroscopic data and confirmed by chemical synthesis. This metabolite was also detected in the liver, and an additional metabolite increased with inhibition of methylation. The latter metabolite was again a selenosugar conjugated with glutathione instead of a methyl group and was assumed to be a precursor for methylation to the former metabolite. A metabolic pathway for the urinary excretion of selenium, i.e., from the glutathione-S-conjugated selenosugar to the methylated one, was proposed. Urinary monomethylated (selenosugar) and trimethylated selenium can be used as specific indices that increase within the required to low-toxic range and with a distinct toxic dose, respectively.

Synthesis and glycan priming activity of acetylated disaccharides.

Five disaccharides related in structure to the glycans of vertebrate mucins have been chemically synthesized using orthogonal blocking, coupling and deblocking techniques. These include 2-naphthylmethyl 3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-( 1 --> 4)-2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), 2-naphthylmethyl 2-aceta-mido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (14), 2-naph-thylmethyl2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-2-acetamido-4,6-di- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (20), 2-naphthylmethyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-2-acetamido-4,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (23) and 2-naphthylmethyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glu-copyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (27). These per-O-acetylated compounds were fed to U-937 cells to test their ability to prime oligosaccharide synthesis, inhibit glycoprotein biosynthesis and alter adhesion to E-selectin expressed on endothelial cells. The results show that 6, 14, and 20 served as substrates for oligosaccharide synthesis. The generation of glycoside-primed glycans altered the formation of glycoproteins on the cell surface and inhibited cell adhesion dependent on E-selectin.

Fluorinated carbohydrates as potential plasma membrane modifiers. Synthesis of 4- and 6-fluoro derivatives of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-hexopyranoses.

2-Amino-2,4-dideoxy-4-fluoro- and 2-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-4, 6-difluoro-D-galactose, and 2-amino-2,4-dideoxy-4-fluoro- and 2-amino-4-deoxy-4, 4-difluoro-D-xylo-hexose were synthesized, as potential modifiers of tumor cell-surface glyco-conjugate, from benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4, 6-di-O-mesyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside and benzyl 2-acetamido-3, 6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4-O-mesyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, which were converted into the corresponding 4,6-difluoro-2,4, 6-trideoxy and 2,4-dideoxy-4-fluoro derivatives. Benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-mesyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside and benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-xylo-hexo-4-ulopyra noside were treated with diethylaminosulfur trifluoride to give 2-amino-2,4-dideoxy-4-fluoro-D-glucose and 2-amino-2,4-dideoxy-4, 4-di-fluoro-D-xylo-hexose derivatives, respectively, to give after deprotection the target compounds. Several of the peracetylated sugar derivatives inhibited L1210 tumor-cell growth in vitro at concentrations of 1-5 10(-5) M. The peracetylated derivative of 2-amino-2,4-dideoxy-4-fluoro-D-galactose inhibited protein and glycoconjugate biosynthesis, and also exhibited antitumor activity in mice with L1210 leukemia.