Synthesis of 3-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-1,2-di-O-tetradecyl-sn-glycerol

Stereo- and regio-selective synthesis of 3-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d- galactopyranosyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-1,2-di-O-tetradecyl-sn-glycerol by use of 1,2-di-O-tetradecyl-3-O-(3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-sn-glycerol as a key intermediate is described.     

Total synthesis of apigenin-4'-yl 2-O-(p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside

The first total synthesis of apigenin-4′-yl 2-O-(p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside, which exhibits good inhibitory activity against xanthine oxidase (XO), was accomplished in seven steps from a 1,2-blocked sugar unit and natural apigenin. A unique allyl protecting group, a phase-transfer-catalyzed (PTC) regioselective coupling reaction, and robustness in large-scale preparation are the merits of this synthetic strategy.     

Synthesis of 2-(p-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethylO-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1–3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl) (1–3)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1–4)-β-d-glucopyranoside,a tetrasaccharide fragment of a tumour-associated glycosphingolipid

The tetrasaccharide 2-(p-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethylO-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1–3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1–3)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1–4)-β-d-glucopyranoside was synthesized from thioglycoside intermediates. The key step was a methyl triflate promoted glycosidation of a lactose-derived 3′,4′-diol with a disaccharide thioglycoside to give a β(1–3)-linked tetrasaccharide derivative in 67% yield.     

Physicochemical and biological properties of 2-O-α-D-galactosyl-cyclomaltohexaose (α-cyclodexterin) and -cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin)

The physicochemical and biological properties of the new branched cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins; CDs), 2-O-α-D-galactosyl-cyclomaltohexaose (2-O-α-D-galactosyl-α-cyclodextrin, 2-Gal-αCD) and 2-O-α-D-galactosyl-cyclomaltoheptaose (2-O-α-D-galactosyl-β-cyclodextrin, 2-Gal-βCD), were investigated. The formation of inclusion complexes of 2-Gal-CDs with various kinds of guest compounds (clofibrate, cholesterol, cholecalciferol, digitoxin, digitoxigenin, and prostaglandin A(1)) was examined by a solubility method, and the results were compared with those of non-branched CDs and other 6-O-glycosyl-CDs such as 6-O-α-D-galactosyl-CDs, 6-O-α-D-glucosyl-CDs, and 6-O-α-maltosyl-CDs. The inclusion abilities of 2-Gal-αCD for clofibrate and prostaglandin A(1), and 2-Gal-βCD for clofibrate, cholecalciferol, cholesterol, and digitoxigenin were markedly weaker than those of non-branched CD and other 6-O-glycosyl-CDs in each series, probably because of a steric hindrance caused by the α-(1→2)-galactoside linkage. The hemolytic activities of 2-Gal-CDs on human erythrocytes were the lowest among each CD series, and the compounds showed negligible cytotoxicity towards Caco-2 cells up to at least 100mM.     

Antioxidant Properties of 2-O-β-D-Glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic Acid

The antioxidant activity of a provitamin C agent, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG), was compared to that of 2-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) and ascorbic acid (AA) using four in vitro methods, 1,1-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay, 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS^?+)-scavenging assay, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, and 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced erythrocyte hemolysis inhibition assay. AA-2βG slowly and continuously scavenged DPPH radicals and ABTS^?+ in roughly the same reaction profiles as AA-2G, whereas AA quenched these radicals immediately. In the ORAC assay and the hemolysis inhibition assay, AA-2βG showed similar overall activities to AA-2G and to AA, although the reactivity of AA-2βG against the peroxyl radical generated in both assays was lower than that of AA-2G and AA. These data indicate that AA-2βG had roughly the same radical-scavenging properties as AA-2G, and a comprehensive in vitro antioxidant activity of AA-2βG appeared to be comparable not only to that of AA-2G but also to that of AA.     

Synthesis of 3,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl chloride

A lactosaminyl donor, 3,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-β-d- glucopyranosyl chloride, was synthesized in 10 steps, starting from 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-β-d-glucopyranose. Benzyl 3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-β-d-glucopyranoside was prepared by regioselective benzylation at the primary hydroxyl group by the stannyl method, and was used as a key intermediate.

     

Use of 3-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-α-d-galactopyranosyl bromide as a glycosyl donor: Synthesis of p-nitrophenyl 3-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside

Acetolysis of methyl 3-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-α-d-galactopyranoside afforded 3-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-1,2,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-d-galactopyranose (2). Treatment of 2 in dichloromethane with hydrogen bromide in glacial acetic acid gave 3-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)- 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-α-d-galactopyranosyl bromide (3). The α configuration of 3 was indicated by its high, positive, specific rotation, and supported by its ¹H-n.m.r. spectrum. Reaction of 3 with Amberlyst A-26-p-nitrophenoxide resin in 1:4 dichloromethane-2-propanol furnished p-nitrophenyl 3-O-(2-acetamido-3,4,6- tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranoside (7). Compound 7 was also obtained by the condensation (catalyzed by silver trifluoromethanesulfonate-2,4,6-trimethylpyridine) of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-β-d-glucopyranosyl bromide with p-nitrophenyl 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranoside, followed by the usual deacylation-peracetylation procedure. O-Deacetylation of 7 in methanolic sodium methoxide furnished the title disaccharide (8). The structure of 8 was established by ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy.     

Synthesis of benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d-fucopyranosyl-α-d-galactopyranoside and benzyl 2-acetamido-6-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d-fucopyranosyl-α-d-galactopyranoside

Condensation of benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-α-d-galactopyranoside with 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-d-fucopyranosyl bromide in 1:1 nitromethane-benzene, in the presence of powdered mercuric cyanide, afforded benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β-d-fucopyranosyl)-α-d-galactopyranoside (3). Cleavage of the benzylidene group of 3 with hot, 60% aqueous acetic acid afforded diol 4, which, on deacetylation, furnished the disaccharide 5. Condensation of diol 4 with 2-methyl-(3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-1,2-di-deoxy-α-d-glucopyrano)-[2,1-d]-2-oxazoline in 1,2-dichloroethane afforded the trisaccharide derivative (7). Deacetylation of 7 with Amberlyst A-26 (OH^?) anion-exchange resin in methanol gave the title trisaccharide (8). The structures of 5 and 8 were confirmed by ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy.     

Induction of apoptosis in human lymphoblastoid cells by kaempferol 3-O-β-isorhamninoside and rhamnocitrin 3-O-β-isorhamninoside from Rhamnus alaternus L. (Rhamnaceae)

Objective: Kaempferol 3‐O‐β‐isorhamninoside (K3O‐ir) and rhamnocitrin 3‐O‐β‐isorhamninoside (R3O‐ir) from Rhamnus alaternus L leaves are investigated for their ability to induce apoptosis in human lymphoblastoid cells. We have attempted to characterize apoptotic pathway activated by these two flavonoids. Material and methods: Apoptosis of the human TK6 lymphoblastoid cell line was detected by DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and by evaluating caspase activity. Results: Apoptosis was observed after 24‐ and 48‐h incubation of the cells with the tested compounds. DNA fragmentation was observed after treatment with flavonoids; this was confirmed by demonstration of PARP cleavage. Caspase‐3 and caspase‐8 activities were induced by both K3O‐ir and R3O‐ir flavonoids showing highest activity with compound concentration of 400 μg/ml. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that K3O‐ir and R3O‐ir induce apoptosis in human lymphoblastoid cells by the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis.     

Synthetic Studies on Derivatives of 5-O-β-d-Galactofuranosyl-d-galactofuranose

Synthetic studies on the derivatives of 5-O-β-d-galactofuranosyl-d-galactofuranose, which is the carbohydrate moiety of helminthosporoside (HS-toxin) from Helminthosporium sacchari, are described.     

β-Glucosidase from Penicillium aculeatum hydrolyzes exo-, 3-O-, and 6-O-β-glucosides but not 20-O-β-glucoside and other glycosides of ginsenosides

A novel β-glucosidase from Penicillium aculeatum was purified as a single 110.5-kDa band on SDS–PAGE with a specific activity of 75.4 U?mg^?1 by salt precipitation and Hi-Trap Q HP and Resource Q ion exchange chromatographies. The purified enzyme was identified as a member of the glycoside hydrolase 3 family based on its amino acid sequence. The hydrolysis activity for p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside was optimal at pH 4.5 and 70 °C with a half-life of 55 h. The enzyme hydrolyzed exo-, 3-O-, and 6-O-β-glucosides but not 20-O-β-glucoside and other glycosides of ginsenosides. Because of the novel specificity, this enzyme had the transformation pathways for ginsenosides: Rb₁?→?Rd?→?F₂?→?compound K, Rb₂?→?compound O?→?compound Y, Rc?→?compound Mc₁?→?compound Mc, Rg₃?→?Rh₂?→?aglycone protopanaxadiol (APPD), Rg₁?→?F₁, and Rf?→?Rh₁?→?aglycone protopanaxatriol (APPT). Under the optimum conditions, the enzyme converted 0.5 mM Rb_2, Rc, Rd, Rg₃, Rg₁, and Rf to 0.49 mM compound Y, 0.49 mM compound Mc, 0.47 mM compound K, 0.23 mM APPD, 0.49 mM?F₁, and 0.44 mM APPT after 6 h, respectively.     

Protodioscin-glycosidase-1 hydrolyzing 26-O-β-d-glucoside and 3-O-(1 → 4)-α-l-rhamnoside of steroidal saponins from Aspergillus oryzae

A novel protodioscin-(steroidal saponin)-glycoside hydrolase, named protodioscin-glycosidase-1 (PGase-1), was purified and characterized from the Aspergillus oryzae strain. The molecular mass of this enzyme was determined to be about 55 kDa based on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. PGase-1 was able to hydrolyze the terminal 26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside of protodioscin (furostanoside) to produce dioscin (spirostanoside), and then further hydrolyze the terminal 3-O-(1?→?4)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside of dioscin to form progenin III. However, PGase-1 could hardly hydrolyze the 3-O-(1?→?2)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside of progenin III, 3-O-β-d-glucoside of trillin, and the 1-O-glycosides of ophiopogonin D (steroidal saponin). In addition, PGase-1 also could hydrolyze the α-d-galactopyranoside, β-d-glucopyranoside, and β-d-galactopyranoside of p-nitrophenyl-glycosides, but the enzyme could not hydrolyze the α-d-mannopyranoside, α-l-arabinopyranoside, α-d-glucopyranoside, β-d-xylopyranoside, and α-l-rhamnopyranoside of p-nitrophenyl-glycosides. These new properties of PGase-1 were significantly different from those of previously described steroidal saponin-glycosidases and the glycosidases currently described in Enzyme Nomenclature by the NC-IUBMB. The gene (termed as pgase-1) encoding PGase-1 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. The complete nucleotide sequence of pgase-1 consists of 1,725 bp. The recombinant PGase-1 from recombinant P. pastoris GS115 strain also showed the activity hydrolyzing glycosides of steroidal saponins which was similar to that of the wild-type PGase-1 from A. oryzae. The PGase-1 gene is highly similar to Aspergilli α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), and PGase-1 should be classified as glycoside hydrolase family 13 by the method of gene sequence-based classification. But the enzyme properties of PGase-1 are different from those of α-amylase in this family.     

Synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d-mannopyranosyl-d-glucose

Condensation of 4,6-di-O-acetyl-2,3-O-carbonyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl bromide with benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside (2) gave an α-d-linked disaccharide, further transformed by removal of the carbonyl and benzylidene groups and acetylation into the previously reported benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl)-α-d-glucopyranoside. Condensation of 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1,2-O-(1-ethoxyethylidene)-α-d-glucopyranose or 2-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl bromide with 2 gave benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-(2-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside. Removal of the acetyl group at O-2, followed by oxidation with acetic anhydride-dimethyl sulfoxide, gave the β-d-arabino-hexosid-2-ulose 14. Reduction with sodium borohydride, and removal of the protective groups, gave 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-d-mannopyranosyl-d-glucose, which was characterized as the heptaacetate. The anomeric configuration of the glycosidic linkage was ascertained by comparison with the α-d-linked analog.     

Syntheses of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-βD-galacto-pyranosyl-D-mannose and -D-glucose and of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-βD-mannopyranosyl-D-mannose and -D-glucose

2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-mannose (6) and -D-glucose (7) were prepared by addition of nitromethane to 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose, followed by acetylation, ammonolysis, and application of the Nef reaction. Similarly, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-D-mannopyranosyl-D-mannose (14) and -D-glucose (15) were prepared by the same scheme from 3-O-β-D-mannopyranosyl-D-arabinose. In the two series of experiments, 6 and 14 were the respective major products. Epimerization of the 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-mannose residue in 6 and 14 yielded 7 and 15, respectively.