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Cellulose nanocrystal and gold nanoparticles are assembled, in a unique way, to yield a novel modular glyconanomaterial whose surface is then easily engineered with one or two different headgroups, by exploiting a robust click chemistry route. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by conjugating monosaccharide headgroups to the glyconanomaterial and show that the sugars retain their binding capability to C-type lectin receptors, as also directly visualized by cryo-TEM.

The present study reports the preparation of the first multivalent iminosugars built onto a glyco-gold nanoparticle core (glyco-AuNPs) capable of stabilizing or enhancing the activity of the lysosomal enzyme GCase, which is defective in Gaucher disease. An N-nonyltrihydroxypiperidine was selected as the bioactive iminosugar unit and further functionalized, via copper-catalyzed alkyne–azide cycloaddition, with a thiol-ending linker that allowed the conjugation to the gold core. These bioactive ligands were obtained with either a linear monomeric or dendritic trimeric arrangement of the iminosugar. The concentration of the bioactive iminosugar on the gold surface was modulated with different amounts of a glucoside bearing a short thiol-ending spacer as the inner ligand. The new mixed-ligand coated glyco-AuNPs were fully characterized, and those with the highest colloidal stability in aqueous medium were subjected to biological evaluation. Glyco-AuNPs with trimeric iminosugar bioactive units showed the ability to stabilize recombinant GCase in a thermal denaturation assay, while Glyco-AuNPs with monomeric iminosugar bioactive units were able to enhance the activity of mutant GCase in Gaucher patient’s fibroblasts by 1.9-fold at 2.2 μM.

Galactofuranose (Galf) is the five-membered ring form of galactose exclusively found in nonmammalian species, among which several are pathogens. To determine the putative role of this carbohydrate in host–pathogen interactions, we synthesized multivalent gold nanoparticles carrying Galf(Galf-GNPs) and show that they are recognized by the EB-A2 antibody, which is widely used to detect Galf-containing galactomannan in the serum of Aspergillosis patients. We demonstrated that human monocyte-derived dendritic cells bound Galf-GNPs via interaction with the lectin DC-SIGN. Moreover, interaction of dendritic cells with Galf-GNPs resulted in increased expression of several maturation markers on these cells and induced secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. These data indicate that Galfis able to modulate the innate immune response via dendritic cells. In conclusion, Galf-GNPs are a versatile tool that can be applied in multiple functional studies to gain a better understanding of the role of Galfin host–pathogen interaction.

Targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes for selective cell labelling and tracking are highly desired. We here present biocompatible sugar-coated paramagnetic Gd-based gold nanoparticles (Gd-GNPs) and test them as MRI T1reporters in different cellular lines at a high magnetic field (11.7 T). With an average number of 20 Gd atoms per nanoparticle, Gd-GNPs show relaxivity values r1ranging from 7 to 18 mM−1s−1at 1.41 T. The multivalent presentation of carbohydrates on the Gd-GNPs enhances the avidity of sugars for carbohydrate-binding receptors at the cell surface and increases the local concentration of the probes. A large reduction in longitudinal relaxation times T1is achieved with both fixed cells and live cells. Differences in cellular labelling are obtained by changing the type of sugar on the gold surface, indicating that simple monosaccharides and disaccharides are able to modulate the cellular uptake. These results stress the benefits of using sugars to produce nanoparticles for cellular labelling. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on labelling and imaging cells with Gd-based gold nanoparticles which use simple sugars as receptor reporters.

Multivalent protein‐carbohydrate interactions are involved in the initial stages of many fundamental biological and pathological processes through lectin–carbohydrate binding. The design of high affinity ligands is therefore necessary to study, inhibit and control the processes governed through carbohydrate recognition by their lectin receptors. Carbohydrate‐functionalised gold nanoclusters (glyconanoparticles, GNPs) show promising potential as multivalent tools for studies in fundamental glycobiology research as well as biomedical applications. Here we present the synthesis and characterisation of galactose functionalised GNPs and their effectiveness as binding partners for PA‐IL lectin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Interactions were evaluated by hemagglutination inhibition (HIA), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) assays. Results show that the gold nanoparticle platform displays a significant cluster glycoside effect for presenting carbohydrate ligands with almost a 3000‐fold increase in binding compared with a monovalent reference probe in free solution. The most effective GNP exhibited a dissociation constant (Kd) of 50 nMper monosaccharide, the most effective ligand of PA‐IL measured to date; another demonstration of the potential of glyco‐nanotechnology towards multivalent tools and potent anti‐adhesives for the prevention of pathogen invasion. The influence of ligand presentation density on their recognition by protein receptors is also demonstrated.

The structural and affinity details of the interactions of synthetic oligomannosides, linear (di‐, tri‐, and tetra‐) and branched (penta‐ and hepta‐), with the broadly neutralizing anti‐HIV‐1 antibody 2G12 (HIV=human immunodeficiency virus) have been investigated in solution by using ligand‐based NMR techniques, specifically saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy and transferred NOE experiments. Linear oligomannosides show similar binding modes to the antibody, with the nonreducing terminal disaccharide Manα(1→2)Man (Man=mannose) making the closest protein/ligand contacts in the bound state. In contrast, the branched pentamannoside shows two alternate binding modes, involving both ligand arms (D2‐ and D3‐like), a dual binding description of the molecular recognition of this ligand by 2G12 in solution that differs from the single binding mode deduced from X‐ray studies. On the contrary, the antibody shows an unexpected selectivity for one arm (D1‐like) of the other branched ligand (heptamannoside). This result explains the previously reported lack of affinity enhancement relative to that of the D1‐like tetramannoside. Single‐ligand STD NMR titration experiments revealed noticeable differences in binding affinities among the linear and branched ligands in solution, with the latter showing decreased affinity. Among the analyzed series of ligands, the strongest 2G12 binders were the linear tri‐ and tetramannosides because both show similar affinity for the antibody. These results demonstrate that NMR spectroscopic techniques can deliver abundant structural, dynamics, and affinity information for the characterization of oligomannose‐2G12 binding in solution, thus complementing, and, as in the case of the pentamannoside, extending, the structural view from X‐ray crystallography. This information is of key importance for the development of multivalent synthetic gp120 high‐mannose glycoconjugate mimics in the context of vaccine development.

The HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120 takes advantage of the high‐mannose clusters on its surface to target the C‐type lectin dendritic cell‐specific intracellular adhesion molecule‐3‐grabbing non‐integrin (DC‐SIGN) on dendritic cells. Mimicking the cluster presentation of oligomannosides on the virus surface is a strategy for designing carbohydrate‐based antiviral agents. Bio‐inspired by the cluster presentation of gp120, we have designed and prepared a small library of multivalent water‐soluble gold glyconanoparticles (manno‐GNPs) presenting truncated (oligo)mannosides of the high‐mannose undecasaccharide Man9GlcNAc2and have tested them as inhibitors of DC‐SIGN binding to gp120. These glyconanoparticles are ligands for DC‐SIGN, which also interacts in the early steps of infection with a large number of pathogens through specific recognition of associated glycans. (Oligo)mannosides endowed with different spacers ending in thiol groups, which enable attachment of the glycoconjugates to the gold surface, have been prepared. manno‐GNPs with different spacers and variable density of mannose (oligo)saccharides have been obtained and characterized. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments with selected manno‐GNPs have been performed to study their inhibition potency towards DC‐SIGN binding to gp120. The tested manno‐GNPs completely inhibit the binding from the micro‐ to the nanomolar range, while the corresponding monovalent mannosides require millimolar concentrations. manno‐GNPs containing the disaccharide Manα1‐2Manα are the best inhibitors, showing more than 20 000‐fold increased activity (100 % inhibition at 115 nM) compared to the corresponding monomeric disaccharide (100 % inhibition at 2.2 mM). Furthermore, increasing the density of dimannoside on the gold platform from 50 to 100 % does not improve the level of inhibition.

Highly diastereoselective nucleophilic additions to cyclic nitrones derived from L-malic acid and D-arabinose have been used for the construction of enantiomerically pure polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines. The synthetic strategy adopted was based on an oxidation/reduction protocol involving hydroxylamine/nitrone pairs and demonstrates the use of reagent- and substrate-derived stereocontrol. In most cases reactions took place with total diastereoselectivity and in quantitative yield, with no purification being necessary. By this strategy, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-, 2-(aminomethyl)-, and 2-aryl-substituted polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines have been prepared with abundant configurational diversity. The use of appropriate substrates and reagents allowed for approaches to DMDP, 6-deoxy-DMDP, DAB-1, CYB-3, nectrisine and radicamine B. Several analogues of these compounds with inverted configuration at one or more stereocenters were also prepared.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)

Intramolecular cycloadditions of various nitrone functionalities with different substituents (R = Me, Bn, tBu) at the nitrogen atom tethered to a bicyclopropylidene unit through a two-carbon chain led to cis-fused tricyclic isoxazolidines (3-alkyl-3,3a,4,5,5a,6-hexahydrocyclopropa[2,3]cyclopenta[1,2-c]isoxazolespiro[1,1′]cyclopropanes) 26 in 42–58 % yield with complete regio- and diastereoselectivity. The thermal rearrangement of the cycloadducts 26 under neutral conditions afforded the corresponding tricyclic tetrahydropyridones 27 (52–53 %). The analogous starting materials with a three-carbon tether, the 4-(bicyclopropyliden-2-yl)butylidenenitrones furnished tricyclic isoxazolidines 28 (54–58 %) and tetrahydropyridones 29 (55–64 %) by subsequent thermal rearrangement. Under acidic conditions (TFA), the cycloadducts 26 and 28 underwent fragmentative rearrangements to afford the tricyclic β-lactams 30 and 32 (50–66 %), respectively, of which the former suffered amide-bond cleavage in situ to provide the corresponding N-trifluoroacetyl β-amino acid derivatives 31 (68–71 %). (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

N-benzyl- and N-methyl-N-glycosylhydroxylamines 3a−i were conveniently obtained by reaction of sugars with N-substituted hydroxylamines according to a novel procedure. Subsequent oxidation occurred at the alkyl group, selectively affording the corresponding C-phenyl- and C-unsubstituted N-glycosylnitrones. C-phenyl-N-glycosylnitrones 10 and 13 underwent highly stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with dimethyl maleate, with the sugar moiety acting as a chiral auxiliary. Final removal of the glycosyl moiety afforded enantiopure enantiomeric isoxazolidines 17 and ent-17 which are oxa-analogues of proline diester derivatives. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)

In recent years, nanomedicine has transformed many areas of traditional medicine, and enabled fresh insights into the prevention of previously difficult to treat diseases. An example of the transformative power of nanomedicine is a recent nano-vaccine against listeriosis, a serious bacterial infection affecting not only pregnant women and their neonates, but also immune-compromised patients with neoplastic or chronic autoimmune diseases. There is a major unmet need for an effective and safe vaccine against listeriosis, with the challenge that an effective vaccine needs to generate protective T cell immunity, a hitherto difficult to achieve objective. Now utilizing a gold nanoparticle antigen delivery approach together with a novel polysaccharide nanoparticulate adjuvant, an effective T-cell vaccine has been developed that provides robust protection in animal models of listeriosis, raising the hope that one day this nanovaccine technology may protect immune-compromised humans against this serious opportunistic infection.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have seen limited clinical use as antimicrobial agents, largely due to issues relating to toxicity, short biological half-life, and lack of efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria. However, the development of novel AMP-nanomedicines, i.e., AMPs entrapped in nanoparticles, has the potential to ameliorate these clinical problems. The authors investigated two novel nanomedicines based on AA139, an AMP currently in development for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.

ABSTRACTGold glyconanoparticles loaded with the listeriolysin O peptide 91–99 (GNP-LLO91-99), a bacterial peptide with anti-metastatic properties, are vaccine delivery platforms facilitating immune cell targeting and increasing antigen loading. Here, we present proof of concept analyses for the consideration of GNP-LLO91-99nanovaccines as a novel immunotherapy for cutaneous melanoma. Studies using mouse models of subcutaneous melanoma indicated that GNP-LLO91-99nanovaccines recruite and modulate dendritic cell (DC) function within the tumour, alter tumour immunotolerance inducing melanoma-specific cytotoxic T cells, cause complete remission and improve survival. GNP-LLO91-99nanovaccines showed superior tumour regression and survival benefits, when combined with anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 checkpoint inhibitors, resulting in an improvement in the efficacy of these immunotherapies. Studies on monocyte-derived DCs from patients with stage IA, IB or IIIB melanoma confirmed the ability of GNP-LLO91-99nanovaccines to complement the action of checkpoint inhibitors, by not only reducing the expression of cell-death markers on DCs, but also potentiating DC antigen-presentation. We propose that GNP-LLO91-99nanovaccines function as immune stimulators and immune effectors and serve as safe cancer therapies, alone or in combination with other immunotherapies.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.