No / Mono- and disaccharide-functionalised conjugates of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin have been synthesised and used as chemical probes of the bacterial uptake of glycosylated ciprofloxacin. Their antimicrobial activities against a panel of clinically relevant bacteria were determined: the ability of these conjugates to inhibit their target DNA gyrase and to be transported into the bacteria was assessed by using in vivo and in vitro assays. The data suggest a lack of active uptake through sugar transporters and that although the addition of monosaccharides is compatible with the inhibition of DNA gyrase, the addition of a disaccharide results in a significant decrease in antimicrobial activity.

To study the functions of glycoconjugates in biological systems reliable and efficient protocols for glycoconjugate synthesis are needed. To reach this goal we have developed methods for solid-phase synthesis of glycoconjugates that can be monitored with gel-phase 19F spectroscopy using fluorinated linkers, building blocks, and protecting groups. We have developed a new fluorine containing linker suitable for solid-phase synthesis of glycoconjugates. The linker was more acid-labile than similar linkers in order to enable cleavage under mild conditions of the target compound from the linker resin.  A carbamate-based strategy has been applied to attach a spacer carrying an amino group to a fluorinated Wang linker for synthesis of amino-functionalized glycoconjugates using thioglycoside donors with fluorinated protective groups. Cleavage from the solid support was performed with trifluoroacetic acid and subsequent protecting group removal gave the target compound. The terminal amine was conjugated with didecyl squarate and this derivative can be attached to various proteins and solid surfaces carrying primary or secondary amines. To evaluate this methodology we have immobilized glycoconjugates in amino-functionalized microtiter plates and successfully probed them with lectin. In addition, a novel fluorine containing protecting group has been designed, synthesized and evaluated. The protecting group was used for protection of the unreactive 4-OH in a galactose building block that was applied in the synthesis of 6-aminohexyl galabioside and was removed with TBAF in THF. Adenovirus serotype 8 (Ad8), Ad19, and Ad37 cause the severe ocular infection, epidemic keratoconjunctivities (EKC). During infection, the adenoviruses interact with sialic acid containing glycoconjugates on the epithelial cells via fiber structures extending from the viral particles. The virus particle most likely binds to the host cell in a multivalent way by simultaneously using multiple fiber proteins and binding sites. Multivalent sialic acid containing conjugates could efficiently inhibit Ad37 cell attachment and subsequent infection of human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Three compact tri- and tetravalent sialic acid conjugates were prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of adenoviral host cell attachment and subsequent infection and all conjugates were potent as anti-adenoviral agents. The conjugates can readily be synthesized from accessible starting materials. A crystal structure of the Ad37 fiber knob protein and the trivalent sialic acid conjugate showed that the three binding sites were all occupied by one sialic acid residue each.

The envelope glycoprotein (Env) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) has developed several immune-evasion mechanisms to avoid the induction of neutralising antibodies, including immunodominant non-neutralising epitopes, conformational flexibility of conserved epitopes, and spontaneous subunit dissociation, thus impeding vaccine development. Here, chemical modification of Env-based vaccine antigens is explored to overcome these obstacles. Firstly, covalent fixation of Env by chemical cross-linking was used to stabilise the conformationally flexible structure and prevent subunit dissociation. Cross-linked Env constructs showed reduced binding of many non-neutralising antibodies whilst largely maintaining antibody recognition by broadly neutralising antibodies. Compared to unmodified material, immunisation with some of these cross-linked proteins led to the induction of significantly increased antibody titres targeting the conserved CD4 binding site of Env despite similar overall antibody titres. These refocused antibody responses resulted in increased serum neutralising titres compared to animals receiving unmodified protein. Secondly, an epitope masking strategy was developed to reduce or eliminate the immunogenicity of neutralisation-irrelevant surfaces. This was achieved using site-selective addition of theoretically immunosilent glycoconjugates to lysine residues. Masking of model protein hen egg lysozyme (HEL) led to site-selective loss of antibody binding to the modification sites in vitro, which translated into refocusing of antibody responses from masked to unmasked epitopes in vivo. Mutant HIV-1 and influenza virus surface glycoproteins were designed that had lysine residues removed from close proximity to the respective broadly neutralising epitopes, but added throughout the remaining surface. Masking of these mutant proteins with second-generation glycoconjugates led to predictable perturbations of antibody binding in vitro. However, administration of these modified glycoproteins revealed unexpectedly that the masking glycans were highly immunogenic in vivo. Thus, this strategy may well prove useful if truly non-immunogenic glycoconjugates can be identified. Taken together, these chemical modifications of vaccine antigens may allow focused targeting of specific antigenic regions for increased B cell recognition, and may thus be a valuable tool for vaccine antigen design.

Orientador: Ricardo Luiz Dantas Machado / Banca: Vera Lúcia Pereira-Chioccola / Banca: Agnes Cristina Fett-Conte / Resumo: O Toxoplasma gondii infecta os seres humanos dentre outras vias, pelo trato gastrintestinal, um local onde se dá a expressão do perfil de glicoconjugados ABH sob controle da enzima a-2-L-Fucosiltransferase (FUTII) codificada pelo gene FUT2 (19q13.3). A presença da FUTII define o status secretor positivo, o qual é relacionado aos fenótipos eritrocitários ABO. Diante da importância epidemiológica e clínica da infecção pelo T. gondii, o objetivo desse trabalho foi testar a hipótese de que o perfil de glicoconjugados ABH expresso no trato gastrintestinal está associado à infecção por esse parasito. Foram selecionadas 367 gestantes atendidas no Ambulatório de Gestação de Alto Risco do Hospital de Base da Fundação Faculdade Regional de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto. Duas amostras de sangue, uma sem e outra com anticoagulante foram coletadas. A fenotipagem eritrocitária ABO e a detecção dos anticorpos anti-T. gondii foram realizadas pelo método hemaglutinação. A identificação do status secretor foi feita pelo método PCR-RFLP. As diferenças nas freqüências do status secretor positivo e negativo e dos fenótipos eritrocitários ABO, isoladamente ou em conjunto, não foram estatisticamente significantes na presença e na ausência desses anticorpos (p=0,26). Esses resultados sugerem que o perfil de glicoconjugados ABH expressos no trato gastrintestinal sob controle do gene FUT2 não está associado à presença de anticorpos anti-T. gondii. / Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii infects humans in several manners including by the gastrointestinal tract where the a-2-L-Fucosiltransferase (FUTII) coded by FUT2 (19q13.3) controls the expression of the ABH glycoconjugates profile. Presence of FUTII defines the positive secretor status which is associated to ABO erythrocytic phenotypes. Due to the epidemiological and clinical importance of T. gondii infection, the aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that the ABH glycoconjugate profile expressed in the gastrointestinal tract is associated to infections by this parasite. A total of 367 pregnant women from the High-Risk Pregnancy Clinical of the University Hospital de Base in São José do Rio Preto were enrolled in this study. Two blood samples were drawn with only one mixed with anticoagulant. The ABO erythrocytic phenotyping and detection of anti-T. gondii antibodies were achieved by the hemagglutination method. Identification of the secretor status was by the PCR-RFLP method. Differences in the positive and negative secretor status and ABO erythrocytic phenotypes, either in isolation or in association, were not statistically significant in respect to the presence or absence of these antibodies (p-value =0.26). These results suggest that the ABH glycoconjugate profile expressed in the gastrointestinal tract under control of the FUT2 gene is not associated to anti-T. gondii antibodies. / Mestre

Glycolipids play important roles in the biology of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including humans, and although theyare found on the cell-membrane surface of all eukaryotic cells, not much is known about their biosynthesis. The aim ofthis project was to characterize two enzymes: glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) which is involved in the biosynthesisof glycolipids such as gangliosides that are abundant in the membranes of nerve cells; and dolicholphosphate mannosesynthase (DPMS), involved in the synthesis precursor for protein glycosylation. Both GCS and DPMS have been shown play a role in cancer as well as in congenital disorders of glycosylation, and are therefore interesting targets tostudy from a therapeutic perspective.With the goal to identify a suitable expression system for GCS, the genes coding for GCS from lancelet (Branchiostoma floridae) and human (Homo sapiens) were cloned and tested for expression in Escherichia coliBL21(DE3)T1 and C41(DE3) using different vectors. Cloning into three different vectors was successful and initial expression testing was performed. SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed initial expression of proteins. Although the correctsize of the protein could be confirmed by Western blot, no fluorescence of the GFP-fusion protein could be detected.DPMS from Thermococcus onnurineus (ToDP) was expressed in E. coli C41(DE3) and purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography and gel filtration. Crystallization optimization was performed for ToDP produced from the vector pNIC28-Bsa4 and plate-like crystals were obtained. X-ray intensity data analysis indicated that thesecrystals contained lipid rather than protein. Crystallization screening for ToDP produced from the vector pNIC-CTHO construct was successful. Crystallization screening using the commercially available MemGold-HT96 crystallization kit resulted in initial crystallization that yielded protein crystals that diffracted to 10 °A resolution. / Glykolipider är viktiga biologiska byggstenar hos prokaryoter och eukaryoter, även människor. Trots att glykolipider finns på cellmembran ytan hos alla eukaryota celler är inte mycket känt kring syntesen av glykolipider. Målet med detta projekt var att karaktärisera två enzym: glukosylceramidsyntas (GCS) som är involverat i biosyntesen av glykolipider som gangliosider vilka förekommer i cellmembranet hos människors nervceller; och dolikolfosfatmannossyntas (DPMS) som är involverat i syntesen av substrat för proteinglykosylering. Både GCS och DPMS harvisat sig spela en roll i cancer och medfödda glykosyleringssjukdomar och är därför intressanta enzym att studera ur ett medicinskt perspektiv.Med målet att identifiera ett lämpligt expressionssystem för GCS, klonades gener från lansett (Branschiostomafloridae) och människa (Homo sapiens) och testades för expression i Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)T1 och C41(DE3)med olika vektorer. Kloning av tre olika vektorer lyckades och expressionstester utfördes. Analys med SDS-PAGE bekräftade expression av protein. Trots att korrekt storlek av proteinet kunde bekräftas med Western blot, detekterades ingen fluorescens från GFP-fusionsproteinet. DPMS från Thermococcus onnurineus (ToDP) i två olika konstrukt uttrycktes i E. coli C41(DE3) och renades med immobiliserad metalljonaffinitetskromatografi och gelfiltrering. Kristalliseringsoptimering utfördes för ToDP uttryckt i vektorn pNIC28-Bsa4 och skivliknande kristaller erhölls. Diffraktionsdata indikerade dock att kristallerna innehöll lipider och inte protein. Kristallisering av ToDP uttryckt i vektorn pNIC-CTHO lyckades och initiala kristallingsförhållanden hittades genom att använda det kommersiellt tillgängliga kristalliseringskitet MemGold-HT96. Diffraktionsdata visade på upplösning ner till 10 Å.

Les symbioses bactérie-légumineuse (nodulation) et champignon-plante (mycorhization) présentent un intérêt agrobiologique et écologique majeur ; elles permettent aux plantes de croître naturellement sur un sol aride et peu fertile. Il a été démontré très récemment que les signaux impliqués dans la mise en place de la symbiose endomycorhizienne à arbuscule (facteurs "Myc") sont très proches de ceux de la nodulation. Il s'agit de molécules appartenant à la famille des lipo-chitooligosaccharides. Afin de réaliser la synthèse de ces molécules, deux nouvelles méthodologies ont été développées. L'ouverture oxydante d'acétals de 4,6-O-benzylidène de plusieurs glycopyranosides (en série gluco, galacto et manno) par le diméthyldioxirane (DMDO) a été étudiée. Le contrôle de la régiosélectivité a été effectué grâce au groupement protecteur introduit sur la fonction alcool de la position 3. La formation directe de β-glycosides de la N-acétyl-D-glucosamine par catalyse au triflate de fer (III) a été étudiée. La réaction a été menée sous irradiation micro-ondes ou en flux continu (système minifluidique Vapourtec®). Une nouvelle stratégie pour la synthèse du facteur [Myc-IV (C16:0, S)] a ensuite été établie. Nous avons utilisé un réactif peu toxique et non odorant pour introduire le motif thio nécessaire à la formation de deux liaisons glycosidiques. Le disaccharide précurseur de l'unité réductrice a été obtenu grâce à la première méthodologie développée au cours de cette thèse. / Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is a root endosymbiosis between plants and fungi. It has an agrobiological interest and a crucial ecological importance because it allows plants to grow on aride and infertile soil. Recently, the structure of the symbiotic signal "Myc factor" was identified as a mixture of lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs). In order to propose a new synthesis of LCOs, we developed two green methodologies in glycochemistry. We performed the oxidative cleavage of 4,6-O-benzylidene acetals of various glycopyranosides (gluco, manno and galacto series) with dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) and its regioselective control with a suitable protecting group at position 3. We investigated the formation of β-glycoside of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine using catalytic iron (III) triflate. The reaction can be performed using microwave irradiation or, for scale-up synthesis, flow chemistry using Vapourtec® minifluidic system. We establish a new strategy for the total synthesis of the most abundant Myc factor [Myc-IV (C16:0, S)]. We used odorless and few toxic MbpSH reagent to introduce the activated thio residue involved in two glycosylation reactions. The disaccharide acceptor precursor of the reducing end was obtained after oxidative cleavage of the 4,6-O-benzylidene moiety by DMDO.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Hydrogels prepared from photopolymerization have been used for a variety of tissue engineering and controlled release applications. Polymeric biomaterials with high cytocompatibility, versatile degradation behaviors, and diverse material properties are particularly useful in studying cell fate processes. In recent years, step-growth thiol-ene photochemistry has been utilized to form cytocompatible hydrogels for tissue engineering applications. This radical-mediated gelation scheme utilizes norbornene functionalized multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGNB) as the macromer and di-thiol containing molecules as the crosslinkers to form chemically crosslinked hydrogels. While the gelation mechanism was well-described in the literature, the network properties and degradation behaviors of these hydrogels have not been fully characterized. In addition, existing thiol-ene photopolymerizations often used type I photoinitiators in conjunction with an ultraviolet (UV) light source to initiate gelation. The use of cleavage type initiators and UV light often raises biosafety concerns. The first objective of this thesis was to understand the gelation and degradation properties of thiol-ene hydrogels. In this regard, two types of step-growth hydrogels were compared, namely thiol-ene hydrogels and Michael-type addition hydrogels. Between these two step-growth gel systems, it was found that thiol-ene click reactions formed hydrogels with higher crosslinking efficiency. However, thiol-ene hydrogels still contained significant network non-ideality, demonstrated by a high dependency of hydrogel swelling on macromer contents. In addition, the presence of ester bonds within the PEGNB macromer rendered thiol-ene hydrogels hydrolytically degradable. Through validating model predictions with experimental results, it was found that the hydrolytic degradation of thiol-ene hydrogels was not only governed by ester bond hydrolysis, but also affected by the degree of network crosslinking. In an attempt to manipulate network crosslinking and degradation rate of thiol-ene hydrogels, different macromer contents and peptide crosslinkers with different amino acid sequences were used. A chymotrypsin-sensitive peptide was also used as part of the hydrogel crosslinkers to render thiol-ene hydrogels enzymatically degradable. The second objective of this thesis was to develop a visible light-mediated thiol-ene hydrogelation scheme using a type II photoinitiator, eosin-Y, as the only photoinitiator. This approach eliminates the incorporation of potentially cytotoxic co-initiator and co-monomer that are typically used with a type II initiator. In addition to investigating the gelation kinetics and properties of thiol-ene hydrogels formed by this new gelation scheme, it was found that the visible light-mediated thiol-ene hydrogels were highly cytocompatible for human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and pancreatic MIN6 beta-cells. It was also found that eosin-Y could be repeatedly excited for preparing step-growth hydrogels with multilayer structures. This new gelation chemistry may have great utilities in controlled release of multiple sensitive growth factors and encapsulation of multiple cell types for tissue regeneration.