Synthetic di-sulfated iduronic acid attenuates asthmatic response by blocking T-cell recruitment to inflammatory sites.

Identification of carbohydrate sequences that determine affinity to specific chemokines is a critical step for strategies to interfere with chemokine-mediated leukocyte trafficking. Here, we first characterized the development of allergic asthma in Tie2-dependent and inducible Ext1-knockout (Tie2-Ext1(iKO)) mice. We showed that heparan sulfate is essential for leukocyte recruitment in the peribronchial region and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and is crucial for induction of airway hyperresponsiveness. Our glycan microarray showed a unique affinity profile of chemokine CCL20 to substructures of heparin and heparin-like oligo/di/monosaccharides. Among them, we identified a synthetic and not naturally occurring monosaccharide, 2,4-O-di-sulfated iduronic acid (Di-S-IdoA), as a potential inhibitor for CCL20-heparan sulfate interaction. Mice injected with Di-S-IdoA via tail vain or nasal inhalation showed attenuated leukocyte recruitment into inflammatory sites and BALF. These results demonstrate a critical role of chemokine-heparan sulfate interaction in the asthma development and Di-S-IdoA as a potential drug for asthma treatment.

Identification of mono- and disulfated N-acetyl-lactosaminyl Oligosaccharide structures as epitopes specifically recognized by humanized monoclonal antibody HMOCC-1 raised against ovarian cancer.

A humanized monoclonal antibody raised against human ovarian cancer RMG-I cells and designated as HMOCC-1 (Suzuki, N., Aoki, D., Tamada, Y., Susumu, N., Orikawa, K., Tsukazaki, K., Sakayori, M., Suzuki, A., Fukuchi, T., Mukai, M., Kojima-Aikawa, K., Ishida, I., and Nozawa, S. (2004) Gynecol. Oncol. 95, 290-298) was characterized for its carbohydrate epitope structure. Specifically, a series of co-transfections was performed using mammalian expression vectors encoding specific glycosyltransferases and sulfotransferases. These experiments identified one sulfotransferase, GAL3ST3, and one glycosyltransferase, B3GNT7, as required for HMOCC-1 antigen formation. They also suggested that the sulfotransferase CHST1 regulates the abundance and intensity of HMOCC-1 antigen. When HEK293T cells were co-transfected with GAL3ST3 and B3GNT7 expression vectors, transfected cells weakly expressed HMOCC-1 antigen. When cells were first co-transfected with GAL3ST3 and B3GNT7 and then with CHST1, the resulting cells strongly expressed HMOCC-1 antigen. However, when cells were transfected with a mixture of GAL3ST3 and CHST1 before or after transfection with B3GNT7, the number of antigen-positive cells decreased relative to the number seen with only GAL3ST3 and B3GNT7, suggesting that CHST1 plays a regulatory role in HMOCC-1 antigen formation. Because these results predicted that HMOCC-1 antigens are SO(3) → 3Galß1 → 4GlcNAcß1 → 3(±SO(3) → 6)Galß1 → 4GlcNAc, we chemically synthesized mono- and disulfated and unsulfated oligosaccharides. Immunoassays using these oligosaccharides as inhibitors showed the strongest activity by disulfated tetrasaccharide, weak but positive activity by monosulfated tetrasaccharide at the terminal galactose, and no activity by nonsulfated tetrasaccharides. These results establish the HMOCC-1 epitope, which should serve as a useful reagent to further characterize ovarian cancer.

Synthesis of oligo(α-D-glycosyl phosphate) derivatives by a phosphoramidite method via boranophosphate intermediates.

An efficient method for the synthesis of short oligo(α-D-glycosyl boranophosphate) derivatives by using an α-D-glycosyl phosphoramidite as a monomer unit was developed. The synthesis of oligomers was carried out by repeating a cycle consisting of the condensation of the monomer unit with a terminal hydroxy group of carbohydrates, boronation of the resultant phosphite intermediates, and terminal deprotection. The phosphoramidite monomer unit was synthesized from the corresponding glycosyl iodide and methyl N,N-diisopropylphosphonamidate in a highly α-selective manner. Di- and tri(α-D-glycosyl boranophosphate) derivatives obtained by the synthetic cycle were converted into the corresponding H-phosphonate diester derivatives, which were then used to synthesize di- and tri(α-D-glycosyl phosphate) derivatives including a fragment of Leishmania glycocalyx lipophosphoglycans.

1,2-Trans-selective synthesis of glycosyl boranophosphates and their utility as building blocks for the synthesis of phosphodiester-linked disaccharides.

A highly 1,2-trans-selective synthesis of glycosyl boranophosphate derivatives by glycosylation of dimethyl boranophosphate with glycosyl iodides was developed. A study on the reaction mechanism indicated that the stereoselectivity of the reactions is controlled by neighboring group participation. The resultant glycosyl boranophosphate triesters were converted into the corresponding boranophosphate diesters and condensed with appropriately protected monosaccharides to give disaccharides linked with an anomeric boranophosphate linkage. Furthermore, the disaccharides worked as precursors of the corresponding phosphodiester-linked disaccharides. The whole synthesis of boranophosphate-linked disaccharides and their conversion to the phosphodiester-linked disaccharides were accomplished in good yields without loss of stereopurity at the anomeric position, indicating that the method is useful to synthesize diastereopure glycosyl phosphate-containing biomolecules.

Synthesis of glycosyl boranophosphates and their applications as precursors of glycosyl phosphate analogues.

Glycosyl boranophosphate triesters were synthesized via a boranophosphorylation of reducing sugars. The usefulness of the resultant glycosyl boranophosphates as versatile chemically stable precursors of various glycosyl phosphate derivatives is demonstrated.

Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome and anti-Müllerian hormone levels before and after laparoscopic gonadectomy.

We report cases of two sisters with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS). A complete female appearance, blind-ending vagina, and testes in the pelvis are characteristics of CAIS. Prophylactic laparoscopic gonadectomy was performed in both cases. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level is known to be very high in patients with CAIS; AMH is secreted by Sertoli cells and testosterone suppresses the secretion. In our cases, serum AMH was very high before gonadectomy and dramatically decreased after gonadectomy. AMH could be the diagnostic feature for patients with CAIS.

Helicobacter pylori cholesteryl α-glucosides contribute to its pathogenicity and immune response by natural killer T cells.

Approximately 10-15% of individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori will develop ulcer disease (gastric or duodenal ulcer), while most people infected with H. pylori will be asymptomatic. The majority of infected individuals remain asymptomatic partly due to the inhibition of synthesis of cholesteryl α-glucosides in H. pylori cell wall by α1,4-GlcNAc-capped mucin O-glycans, which are expressed in the deeper portion of gastric mucosa. However, it has not been determined how cholesteryl α-glucosyltransferase (αCgT), which forms cholesteryl α-glucosides, functions in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection. Here, we show that the activity of αCgT from H. pylori clinical isolates is highly correlated with the degree of gastric atrophy. We investigated the role of cholesteryl α-glucosides in various aspects of the immune response. Phagocytosis and activation of dendritic cells were observed at similar degrees in the presence of wild-type H. pylori or variants harboring mutant forms of αCgT showing a range of enzymatic activity. However, cholesteryl α-glucosides were recognized by invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, eliciting an immune response in vitro and in vivo. Following inoculation of H. pylori harboring highly active αCgT into iNKT cell-deficient (Jα18(-/-)) or wild-type mice, bacterial recovery significantly increased in Jα18(-/-) compared to wild-type mice. Moreover, cytokine production characteristic of Th1 and Th2 cells dramatically decreased in Jα18(-/-) compared to wild-type mice. These findings demonstrate that cholesteryl α-glucosides play critical roles in H. pylori-mediated gastric inflammation and precancerous atrophic gastritis.

Rapid glycosylations under extremely mild acidic conditions. Use of ammonium salts to activate glycosyl phosphites via P-protonation.

Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salts of tertiary amines were employed as extremely mild acidic activators for rapid glycosylations. Glycosyl phosphite triesters bearing an acid-labile 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl (DMTr) group for transient protection worked as glycosyl donors effectively in the presence of the activators to afford the corresponding disaccharides in good yields without loss of the DMTr group.

Stereoselective synthesis of alpha-glycosyl phosphites and phosphoramidites via O-selective glycosylation of H-phosphonate derivatives.

A highly stereo- and chemoselective glycosylation of H-phosphonate derivatives with glycosyl iodides was discovered as a reverse reaction of the formation of a glycosyl iodide from a glycosyl phosphite and I- under mild acidic conditions. Further study on the unique reaction showed that the reaction provided various alpha-glycosyl phosphites and phosphoramidites in a highly stereoselective manner with complete O-selectivity.