The length of lipids bound to human CD1d molecules modulates the affinity of NKT cell TCR and the threshold of NKT cell activation.

CD1d-restricted lymphocytes recognize a broad lipid range. However, how CD1d-restricted lymphocytes translate T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of lipids with similar group heads into distinct biological responses remains unclear. Using a soluble invariant NKT (iNKT) TCR and a newly engineered antibody specific for alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer)-human CD1d (hCD1d) complexes, we measured the affinity of binding of iNKT TCR to hCD1d molecules loaded with a panel of alpha-GalCer analogues and assessed the rate of dissociation of alpha-GalCer and alpha-GalCer analogues from hCD1d molecules. We extended this analysis by studying iNKT cell synapse formation and iNKT cell activation by the same panel of alpha-GalCer analogues. Our results indicate the unique role of the lipid chain occupying the hCD1d F' channel in modulating TCR binding affinity to hCD1d-lipid complexes, the formation of stable immunological synapse, and cell activation. These data are consistent with previously described conformational changes between empty and loaded hCD1d molecules (Koch, M., V.S. Stronge, D. Shepherd, S.D. Gadola, B. Mathew, G. Ritter, A.R. Fersht, G.S. Besra, R.R. Schmidt, E.Y. Jones, and V. Cerundolo. 2005. Nat. Immunol 6:819-826), suggesting that incomplete occupation of the hCD1d F' channel results in conformational differences at the TCR recognition surface. This indirect effect provides a general mechanism by which lipid-specific lymphocytes are capable of recognizing both the group head and the length of lipid antigens, ensuring greater specificity of antigen recognition.

Nonglycosidic agonists of invariant NKT cells for use as vaccine adjuvants.

Based on the crystal structures of human alpha-GalCer-CD1d and iNKT-alpha-GalCer-CD1d complexes, nonglycosidic analogues of alpha-GalCer were synthesized. They activate iNKT cells resulting in dendritic cell maturation and the priming of antigen-specific T and B cells. Therefore, they are attractive adjuvants in vaccination strategies for cancer and infectious diseases.

Slow-onset inhibition of the FabI enoyl reductase from francisella tularensis: residence time and in vivo activity.

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent and contagious Gram-negative intracellular bacterium that causes the disease tularemia in mammals. The high infectivity and the ability of the bacterium to survive for weeks in a cool, moist environment have raised the possibility that this organism could be exploited deliberately as a potential biological weapon. Fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS-II) is essential for bacterial viability and has been validated as a target for the discovery of novel antibacterials. The FAS-II enoyl reductase ftuFabI has been cloned and expressed, and a series of diphenyl ethers have been identified that are subnanomolar inhibitors of the enzyme with MIC90 values as low as 0.00018 microg mL(-1). The existence of a linear correlation between the Ki and MIC values strongly suggests that the antibacterial activity of the diphenyl ethers results from direct inhibition of ftuFabI within the cell. The compounds are slow-onset inhibitors of ftuFabI, and the residence time of the inhibitors on the enzyme correlates with their in vivo activity in a mouse model of tularemia infection. Significantly, the rate of breakdown of the enzyme-inhibitor complex is a better predictor of in vivo activity than the overall thermodynamic stability of the complex, a concept that has important implications for the discovery of novel chemotherapeutics that normally rely on equilibrium measurements of potency.

2-Nitroglycals: versatile intermediates for efficient and highly stereoselective base-catalyzed glycoside bond formations.

This protocol describes the O-glycosyl trichloroacetimidate-based glycosylation of protected galactal 1 as acceptor under Sn(OTf)(2) catalysis to give disaccharide 4. Nitration of the galactal moiety using nitric acid-acetic acid as nitrating agent followed by base-promoted acetic acid elimination affords the 2-nitro derivative 6 in a one-pot procedure. These types of intermediates can be used in the stereoselective synthesis of glycosides via Michael-type addition of alcohols as nucleophiles to 2-nitroglycals. Here, the base-catalyzed alpha-selective addition of N-Boc-protected Ser and Thr esters (7a, b) is described, which leads stereoselectively to adducts 8a, b. Transformation into the corresponding 2a-acetylamino derivates 9a, b provides versatile mucin core 1 building blocks (the total time for synthesizing 9a, b starting from 1 to 2 is typically 7 d with an overall yield of 18-25%). Also various other types of nucleophiles are amenable to this Michael-type addition 2-nitroglycals.

Cutting edge: nonglycosidic CD1d lipid ligands activate human and murine invariant NKT cells.

Invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells) recognize CD1d/glycolipid complexes. We demonstrate that the nonglycosidic compound threitolceramide efficiently activates iNKT cells, resulting in dendritic cell (DC) maturation and the priming of Ag-specific T and B cells. Threitolceramide-pulsed DCs are more resistant to iNKT cell-dependent lysis than alpha-galactosylceramide-pulsed DCs due to the weaker affinity of the human iNKT TCR for CD1d/ threitolceramide than CD1d/alpha-galactosylceramide complexes. iNKT cells stimulated with threitolceramide also recover more quickly from activation-induced anergy. Kinetic and functional experiments showed that shortening or lengthening the threitol moiety by one hydroxymethylene group modulates ligand recognition, as human and murine iNKT cells recognize glycerolceramide and arabinitolceramide differentially. Our data broaden the range of potential iNKT cell agonists. The ability of these compounds to assist the priming of Ag-specific immune responses while minimizing iNKT cell-dependent DC lysis makes them attractive adjuvants for vaccination strategies.

Glycal glycosylation and 2-nitroglycal concatenation, a powerful combination for mucin core structure synthesis.

A 3,4-O-unprotected galactal derivative having bulky 6-O-TIPS protection (compound 2) could be regioselectively 3-O-glycosylated with O-(galactopyranosyl) trichloroacetimidates; depending on the protecting group pattern stereoselectively alpha- and beta-linked disaccharides were obtained. With O-(2-azido-2-deoxyglucopyransyl) trichloroacetimidate as donor (compound 10A), glycosylation of 2 and of a 6-O-unprotected galactal derivative led in acetonitrile as solvent exclusively to a beta(1-3)- and a beta(1-6)-linked disaccharide, respectively. Nitration of the galactal moieties of the saccharides followed by Michael-type addition of serine and threonine derivatives (7a,b) installed the alpha-galacto-configuration, thus readily furnishing O-glycosyl amino acid building blocks for the incorporation of core 1, core 2, core 3, core 6, and core 8 structures into glycopeptides. 2-Nitrogalactal and 2-nitroglucal derivatives could be also successfully employed in glycoside bond formation via Michael-type addition in a reiterative manner, affording the corresponding core 5, core 7, and core 6 building blocks. In this approach, highly stereoselective glycoside bond formations were based exclusively on Michael-type addition to the nitro-enol ether moiety of the 2-nitroglycals. Hence, 2-nitroglycals are versatile intermediates for base-catalyzed glycoside bond formation.

Trimethylsilylnitrate-trimethylsilyl azide: a novel reagent system for the synthesis of 2-deoxyglycosyl azides from glycals. Application in the synthesis of 2-deoxy-beta-N-glycopeptides.

A novel reagent system comprising Me(3)SiN(3) and 20 mol % of Me(3)SiONO(2) permits conversion of glycals to 1-azido 2-deoxy sugars in one step in fair to good yields. Galactals offer higher stereoselectivities than do the glucals. Reduction of the azide group with Ph(3)P-H(2)O to amino functionality followed by coupling with amino acids leads to the synthesis of novel 2-deoxy-beta-N-glycopeptides irrespective of the geometry of initial azido sugars. Using this protocol, a new gamma-sugar amino acid derivative is also procured.