Chemical synthesis of the desialylated human Cad-anti-genic determinant.

International audienceBenzyl 2-azido-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside was converted into benzyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside via benzylidenation, p-methoxybenzylation, acid hydrolysis, benzylation, and selective oxidation. Condensation of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranose with benzyl 2-azido-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate gave crystalline benzyl 2-azido-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-ga lactopyranosyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (76%), which was converted into benzyl 2-azido-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,6-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopy ranosyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside and condensed with 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl bromide in the presence of silver silicate on alumina and molecular sieve 4 A to give 61% of benzyl O-(3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)- O-(2,6-di- O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----3)-2-azido-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deo xy- beta-D-galactopyranoside. Reduction with sodium borohydride followed by N-acetylation, O-deacetylation, and catalytic hydrogenolysis then gave O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-O-beta-D-gal actopyranosyl-(1----3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose, the desialylated human Cad-antigenic determinant

Synthèse de l'acide 5-acétamido-3,5-didésoxy-4-O-méthyl-D-glycéro-D-galacto-2-nonulosonique (acide 4-O-méthyl-N-acétylneuraminique). Partie II

3-Acetamido-3-deoxy-4,5:6,7-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glycero-D-galacto-heptose diethyl dithioacetal was transformed into 3-acetamido-3-deoxy-4,5:6,7-di-O-isopro-pylidene-2-O-methyl-aldehydro-D-glycero-D-galacto-heptose after O-methylation followed by desulfuration. A Wittig reaction with an excess of [ethoxy(ethoxycarbonyl)-methylene]triphenylphosphorane in the presence of benzoic acid gave a mixture of ethyl 5-acetamido-3.5-dideoxy-2-O-ethyl-6,7:8,9-di-O-isopropylidene-4-O-methyl-D-glycero-D-galacto-non-2-enonate (23 %) and the D-glycero-D-talo (22 %) isomer. An ethoxymercuration-demercuration reaction, followed by acid hydrolysis, converted the former into ethyl 4-O-methyl-N-acetylneuraminate and the latter into the C-4 stereoisomer. 4-O-Methyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid was then obtained in crystalline form, and its structure ascertained by mass spectrometry and 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonanc

Ultraweak sugar-sugar interactions for transient cell adhesion.

Carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions are rarely considered in biologically relevant situations such as cell recognition and adhesion. One Ca(2+)-mediated homotypic interaction between two Lewis(x) determinants (Le(x)) has been proposed to drive cell adhesion in murine embryogenesis. Here, we confirm the existence of this specific interaction by reporting the first direct quantitative measurements in an environment akin to that provided by membranes. The adhesion between giant vesicles functionalized with Le(x) was obtained by micropipette aspiration and contact angle measurements. This interaction is below the thermal energy, and cell-cell adhesion will require a large number of molecules, as illustrated by the Le(x) concentration peak observed at the cell membranes during the morula stage of the embryo. This adhesion is ultralow and therefore difficult to measure. Such small interactions explain why the concept of specific interactions between carbohydrates is often neglected