Glucosidases são enzimas que catalisam a hidrólise de ligações glicosídicas liberando unidades monossacarídicas de um terminal não redutor de um oligossacarídeo ou glicoconjugado. Iminoaçúcares são alcalóides piperidínicos polihidroxilados isolados de plantas (gênero Morus) e microrganismos (Bacillus), como nojirimicina (NJ) (1) e 1-desoxinojirimicina (DNJ) (2), os quais são descritos como inibidores de glucosidase. O potencial uso destes inibidores no tratamento de infecções virais, crescimento tumoral, metástases, diabetes, doença de Gaucher e osteoartrite tem motivado a comunidade científica na busca por novos derivados iminoaçúcares. Desse modo, a síntese de pseudodissacarídeos, contendo ambos resíduos de iminoaçúcar e glicopiranose, constitui uma estratégia interessante de obtenção desses derivados, apesar dos desafios envolvidos na geração da ligação entre estes dois açúcares. Por esta razão, foi utilizada a estratégia de click chemistry como uma ferramenta para introduzir uma ponte de grupo 1,2,3-triazol entre os açúcares a partir do acoplamento de azido-glicosídeo com N-propargil-iminoaçúcar. Desta forma, a síntese do iminoaçúcar N-propargílico (73), com função acetileno terminal, foi realizada em cinco etapas e foi usado na reação de cicloadição 1,3- dipolar com três derivados glicosídicos contendo grupo azido nas posições anomérica (C-1), C-3 ou C-6. A partir desta reação CuAAC (Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition), três novos pseudo-dissacarídeos (77, 81 e 85) foram sintetizados em rendimentos moderados e foram, então, avaliados em ensaios de - D-glucosidase isolada de Sacharomyces cerevisiae. Nestes testes preliminares, o composto 77 foi o mais ativo, o qual foi capaz de inibir a atividade da enzima em 40% a 1mM. Esses resultados encorajam a realização de novos experimentos, principalmente, a determinação de Ki e avaliação da atividade relativa à replicação do vírus HIV. Portanto, a obtenção destes pseudodissacarídeos trouxe uma contribuição importante no que diz respeito à química de carboidratos e também ao tratamento das doenças citadas. / Glucosidases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds releasing monosaccharide units from a non-reducing end of an oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate. Iminosugars are polihydroxilate piperidinic alkaloids isolated from plants (Morus alba) and microorganisms (Bacillus), such as nojirimicin (NJ) (1) and 1- deoxynojirimicin (2), which are described as glucosidase inhibitors. The potential use of these inhibitors in the treatment of viral infection, tumoral growing, metastasis, diabetes, Gaucher´s disease and osteoarthritis has stimulated the scientific community on the search for novel iminosugar derivatives. Thereby, the synthesis of pseudodisaccharides, having both iminosugar and glycopyranose residues, represents an interesting strategy to obtain these derivatives, despite the challenges involved in generating the link between these two sugars. For this reason, we have used click chemistry as a tool to introduce a 1,2,3-triazole bridge between the sugars from the coupling of azide-glycosides with N-propargyl-iminosugar. Thus, the synthesis of N-propargyl-iminosugar (73), containing the terminal acetylene function, was performed in five steps, and was used in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with three glycosidic derivatives containing the azide group at anomeric (C-1), C-3 or C-6 positions. By applying this CuAAC (Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition), three novel pseudo-disaccharides (77, 81 and 85) were synthesized in moderate yields and then, evaluated in -D-glucosidase assays isolated from Sacharomyces cerevisiae. In these preliminary test, compound 77 was the most active from the series, which was able to inhibit 40% of the enzyme activity at 1 mM. These results encourage us to perform new experiments, notably the determination of Ki and evaluation towards HIV replication. Thus, a contribution regarding carbohydrate chemistry and treatment of the supracited diseases was achieved by the synthesis of these pseudodisaccharides.

Glucosidases são enzimas que catalisam a hidrólise de ligações glicosídicas liberando unidades monossacarídicas de um terminal não redutor de um oligossacarídeo ou glicoconjugado. Iminoaçúcares são alcalóides piperidínicos polihidroxilados isolados de plantas (gênero Morus) e microrganismos (Bacillus), como nojirimicina (NJ) (1) e 1-desoxinojirimicina (DNJ) (2), os quais são descritos como inibidores de glucosidase. O potencial uso destes inibidores no tratamento de infecções virais, crescimento tumoral, metástases, diabetes, doença de Gaucher e osteoartrite tem motivado a comunidade científica na busca por novos derivados iminoaçúcares. Desse modo, a síntese de pseudodissacarídeos, contendo ambos resíduos de iminoaçúcar e glicopiranose, constitui uma estratégia interessante de obtenção desses derivados, apesar dos desafios envolvidos na geração da ligação entre estes dois açúcares. Por esta razão, foi utilizada a estratégia de click chemistry como uma ferramenta para introduzir uma ponte de grupo 1,2,3-triazol entre os açúcares a partir do acoplamento de azido-glicosídeo com N-propargil-iminoaçúcar. Desta forma, a síntese do iminoaçúcar N-propargílico (73), com função acetileno terminal, foi realizada em cinco etapas e foi usado na reação de cicloadição 1,3- dipolar com três derivados glicosídicos contendo grupo azido nas posições anomérica (C-1), C-3 ou C-6. A partir desta reação CuAAC (Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition), três novos pseudo-dissacarídeos (77, 81 e 85) foram sintetizados em rendimentos moderados e foram, então, avaliados em ensaios de - D-glucosidase isolada de Sacharomyces cerevisiae. Nestes testes preliminares, o composto 77 foi o mais ativo, o qual foi capaz de inibir a atividade da enzima em 40% a 1mM. Esses resultados encorajam a realização de novos experimentos, principalmente, a determinação de Ki e avaliação da atividade relativa à replicação do vírus HIV. Portanto, a obtenção destes pseudodissacarídeos trouxe uma contribuição importante no que diz respeito à química de carboidratos e também ao tratamento das doenças citadas. / Glucosidases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds releasing monosaccharide units from a non-reducing end of an oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate. Iminosugars are polihydroxilate piperidinic alkaloids isolated from plants (Morus alba) and microorganisms (Bacillus), such as nojirimicin (NJ) (1) and 1- deoxynojirimicin (2), which are described as glucosidase inhibitors. The potential use of these inhibitors in the treatment of viral infection, tumoral growing, metastasis, diabetes, Gaucher´s disease and osteoarthritis has stimulated the scientific community on the search for novel iminosugar derivatives. Thereby, the synthesis of pseudodisaccharides, having both iminosugar and glycopyranose residues, represents an interesting strategy to obtain these derivatives, despite the challenges involved in generating the link between these two sugars. For this reason, we have used click chemistry as a tool to introduce a 1,2,3-triazole bridge between the sugars from the coupling of azide-glycosides with N-propargyl-iminosugar. Thus, the synthesis of N-propargyl-iminosugar (73), containing the terminal acetylene function, was performed in five steps, and was used in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with three glycosidic derivatives containing the azide group at anomeric (C-1), C-3 or C-6 positions. By applying this CuAAC (Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition), three novel pseudo-disaccharides (77, 81 and 85) were synthesized in moderate yields and then, evaluated in -D-glucosidase assays isolated from Sacharomyces cerevisiae. In these preliminary test, compound 77 was the most active from the series, which was able to inhibit 40% of the enzyme activity at 1 mM. These results encourage us to perform new experiments, notably the determination of Ki and evaluation towards HIV replication. Thus, a contribution regarding carbohydrate chemistry and treatment of the supracited diseases was achieved by the synthesis of these pseudodisaccharides.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa est une bactérie à Gram négatif ayant un rôle central dans la morbidité et la mortalité des patients mucoviscidosiques, dont l'environnement pulmonaire particulier favorise les infections chroniques par de nombreux pathogènes opportunistes. Malheureusement, de plus en plus de souches développent des résistances, rendant les antibiothérapies à base de β-lactames de moins en moins efficaces. Parmi les différents mécanismes de défenses développés par P. aeruginosa, l'un des plus important est la détection de l'activité antibiotique, avec en réponse la production de la β-lactamase AmpC, une enzyme qui dégrade les antibiotiques β-lactames. Cette détection met en œuvre la glycosylhydrolase NagZ, qui catalyse la formation de l'inducteur d'AmpC.Récemment au laboratoire, nous avons synthétisé un inhibiteur sélectif de NagZ basé sur une structure azépane. La co-administration à une souche résistante de P. aeruginosa de notre composé et de l'antibiotique β-lactame ceftazidime conduit à une perte de la résistance à l'antibiotique de 50%.Afin d'améliorer la sélectivité et l'activité de notre composé lead, des modifications chimiques du groupement acétamide et du groupement hydroxyle en position C-6 ont été réalisées. L'étude des relations de structure-activité basées sur un cliché cristallographique et sur une étude de docking ont ainsi pu être réalisées. Une autre stratégie explorée a consisté à fonctionnaliser l'atome d'azote endocyclique par un motif sidérophore afin de faciliter la pénétration du composé, ce type de groupement étant en effet connu pour jouer le rôle de cheval de Troie.Les azépanes synthétisés ont été évalués par nos collaborateurs biologistes au Japon et au Canada. / Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative bacterium playing a major role in morbidity and mortality among CF patients, whose particular pulmonary environment promotes chronic infections by various pathogens1. Unfortunately, more and more bacterial strains are developing resistance, making β-lactam-based antibiotic therapies less effective. Among the different mechanisms of defense developed by P. aeruginosa, one of the most important is the detection of the antibiotic activity by the pathogen, responsively producing the β-lactamase AmpC, an enzyme that degrades the β-lactam antibiotic. This detection implements the glycosylhydrolase NagZ, which catalyzes the formation of the enzyme inducer of AmpC2.We have recently designed a selective inhibitor of NagZ based on an azepane structure. Its co-administration with β-lactam ceftazidime to a β-lactam-resistant strain of P. aeruginosa causes a 50% decrease of the antibiotic resistance3.In order to improve the selectivity and the efficiency of our lead compound, chemical modifications of the acetamide moiety and of the hydroxyl group at C6 have been achieved, allowing to perform a SAR study supported by crystallographic studies and molecular modeling. Another strategy explored has consisted in the functionalization of the endocyclic nitrogen atom of the azepane by a siderophore that will act as a Trojan horse4, in order to improve the penetration of the azepane.The libraries of compounds synthesized were biologically evaluated by our Canadian and Japanese partners.

The aim of the work described in this thesis was to explore the synthesis of glycosidase inhibitors and to evaluate their potential as anti-cancer agents. Glycosidases catalyze the fission of glycosidic bonds and are involved in vital biological functions. With regard to their potential for anti-cancer therapy, two glycosidases were identified: α-N-acetyl-galactosaminidase and β-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase. The former has been implicated in causing immunosuppression in advanced cancer patients by negating the effect of the macrophage activating factor (MAF), while the latter is secreted by invading cancer cells and hence associated with metastasis formation. The synthetic focus was on generating piperidine and azetidine iminosugars, carbohydrate mimetics with their endocylic oxygen replaced by nitrogen. Their structural similarity to carbohydrates make iminosugars excellent inhibitors of glycosidases. Following synthesis of a pipecolic amide, its previously reported potent β-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase inhibition was confirmed. This data, along with inhibition profiles of several pyrrolidines, allowed the generation of a molecular model for predicting activity of β-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase inhibitors. The model was used to select azetidines in the D/L-ribo and D-lyxo configuration as suitable candidates to be explored in novel chemical space, leading to the first synthesis of a fully unprotected 3-hydroxy-2-carboxy-azetidine. The potent α-N-acetyl-galactosamindase inhibitor 2-acetamido-1,2-dideoxy-D-galacto-nojirimycin (DGJNAc) was successfully derivatised via N-alkylation. Important structural discoveries with regard to glycosylation of vitamin D₃-binding protein, the precursor of MAF, were made using MALDI mass-spectrometry. By comparing the enzymatic and cellular inhibition of N-alkylated derivatives of DGJNAc and a pyrrolidine the following generalization on iminosugar biodistribution was found: N-butylation promotes uptake into the cell/organelles, while hydrophilic side-chains restrict cellular access. An in vitro assay evaluating cancer cell invasion was devised and β-N-acetyl-hexoamindase inhibitors were shown to retard cell migration, including with the highly metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Additive effects where found when the iminosugar was combined with a protease inhibitor, suggesting potential for future combination therapy.