Ashish K. Pathak

Altered immunomodulating and toxicological properties of degraded Quillaja saponaria Molina saponins

Quillaja saponins are readily hydrolyzed under physiological conditions, yielding deacylated forms that are significantly less toxic than their precursors. Yet, deacylated saponins are unable to stimulate a strong primary immune response. Although deacylated saponins elicit a strong total IgG response, their capacity to stimulate a Thl type IgG isotype profile (i.e. high levels of IgG2a and IgG2b) has been significantly diminished. Instead, an IgG profile closer to that of a Th2 immune response is stimulated (i.e. high IgG1 levels). Deacylated saponins have also lost their capacity to elicit an effective T cell immunity, as shown by their stimulation of a marginal lymphoproliferative response and their inability to elicit the production of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL). Modification of the immune-modulating properties brought by the degradation of quillaja saponins during vaccine storage may change the intended immune response from a Th1 to a Th2 type. This alteration would have negligible effects on vaccines depending on Th2 immunity mediated by neutralizing antibodies. However, the performance of vaccines directed against intracellular pathogens as well as therapeutic cancer vaccines may be seriously affected by the loss of their capacity to stimulate both a Th1 immune response and the production of CTL.

Studies on (β,1→5) and (β,1→6) linked octyl Galf disaccharides as substrates for mycobacterial galactosyltransferase activity

Abstract The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the continuing pandemic of tuberculosis emphasizes the urgent need for the development of new anti-tubercular agents with novel drug targets. The recent structural elucidation of the mycobacterial cell wall highlights a large variety of structurally unique components that may be a basis for new drug development. This publication describes the synthesis, characterization, and screening of several octyl Gal f (β,1→5)Gal f and octyl Gal f (β,1→6)Gal f derivatives. A cell-free assay system has been utilized for galactosyltransferase activity using UDP[ 14 C]Gal f as the glycosyl donor, and in vitro inhibitory activity has been determined in a colorimetric broth microdilution assay system against MTB H37Ra and three clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Certain derivatives showed moderate activities against MTB and MAC. The biological evaluation of these disaccharides suggests that more hydrophobic analogues with a blocked reducing end showed better activity as compared to totally deprotected disaccharides that more closely resemble the natural substrates in cell wall biosynthesis.

Fractionation, structural studies, and immunological characterization of the semi-synthetic Quillaja saponins derivative GPI-0100

Unfractionated GPI-0100 (UFGPI-0100) containing semi-synthetic derivatives of deacylated Quillaja saponins (DS saponins) modified at the glucuronic acid residue was resolved by reverse phase low-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-LPLC) into two fractions, RP18-1 and RP18-2, with different compositions and adjuvanticity. The fraction RP18-1 contained DS saponin adducts of N-dicyclohexylurea, and stimulated Th2 immunity with production of IgG1, while the RP18-2 fraction contained the dodecylamide derivatives of DS saponins and stimulated Th1 immunity with production of IgG2a, IFN-gamma, IL-2, and CTL. The strong immune stimulatory properties of RP18-2, relative to RP18-1, and the formation of RP18-1/RP18-2 mixed micelles may account for the effective stimulation of Th1 immunity by UFGPI-0100. UFGPI-0100 was free of acylated quillaja saponin components, including the more stable QS-7.

Studies on n-Octyl-5-(α-d-arabinofuranosyl)-β-d-galactofuranosides for Mycobacterial Glycosyltransferase Activity

Abstract The mycobacterial cell wall is a potential target for new drug development. Herein we report the preparation and activity of several n -octyl-5-(α- d -arabinofuranosyl)-β- d -galactofuranoside derivatives. A cell-free assay system has been utilized for determination of the ability of disaccharide analogues to act as arabinosyltransferase acceptors using [ 14 C]-DPA as the glycosyl donor. In addition, in vitro inhibitory activity has been determined in a colorimetric broth microdilution assay system against MTB H37Ra and three clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). One of these disaccharides showed moderate activity against MTB. The biological evaluation of these disaccharides suggests that more hydrophobic analogues with a blocked reducing end showed better activity as compared to a totally deprotected disaccharide that more closely resembles the natural substrates in cell wall biosynthesis.

Studies on α(1→5) linked octyl arabinofuranosyl disaccharides for mycobacterial arabinosyl transferase activity

The appearance multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) throughout the world has prompted a search for new, safer and more active agents against tuberculosis. Based on studies of the biosynthesis of mycobacterial cell wall polysaccharides, octyl 5-O-(alpha-D-arabinofuranosyl)-alpha-D-arabinofuranoside analogues were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors for M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium. A cell free assay system has been used for the evaluation of these disaccharides as substrates for mycobacterial arabinosyltransferase activity.

Imidazolium Cation Supported Solution-Phase Assembly of Homolinear α(1→6)−Linked Octamannoside: An Efficient Alternate Approach for Oligosaccharide Synthesis

An efficient, simple convergent assembly of a homolinear alpha(1-->6)-linked octamannosyl thioglycoside was obtained starting from imidazolium cation-tagged mannosyl fluoride and thiomannoside using block couplings. During chain elongation glycosylation reactions no column chromatographic purifications were used.

Expression, purification and characterisation of soluble GlfT and the identification of a novel galactofuranosyltransferase Rv3782 involved in priming GlfT-mediated galactan polymerisation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The arabinogalactan (AG) component of the mycobacterial cell wall is an essential branched polysaccharide which tethers mycolic acids (m) to peptidoglycan (P), forming the mAGP complex. Much interest has been focused on the biosynthetic machinery involved in the production of this highly impermeable shield, which is the target for numerous anti-tuberculosis agents. The galactan domain of AG is synthesised via a bifunctional galactofuranosyltransferase (GlfT), which utilises UDP-Galf as its high-energy substrate. However, it has proven difficult to study the protein in its recombinant form due to difficulties in recovering pure soluble protein using standard expression systems. Herein, we describe the effects of glfT co-induction with a range of chaperone proteins, which resulted in an appreciable yield of soluble protein at 5 mg/L after a one-step purification procedure. We have shown that this purified enzyme transfers [14C]Galf to a range of both beta(1-->5) and beta(1-->6) linked digalactofuranosyl neoglycolipid acceptors with a distinct preference for the latter. Ligand binding studies using intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence have provided supporting evidence for the apparent preference of this enzyme to bind the beta(1-->6) disaccharide acceptor. However, we could not detect binding or galactofuranosyltransferase activity with an n-octyl beta-d-Gal-(1-->4)-alpha-l-Rha acceptor, which mimics the reducing terminus of galactan in the mycobacterial cell wall. Conversely, after an extensive bioinformatics analysis of the H37Rv genome, further cloning, expression and functional analysis of the Rv3792 open reading frame indicates that this protein affords galactofuranosyltransferase activity against such an acceptor and paves the way for a better understanding of galactan biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Studies on β-d-Galf -(1→4)-α-l-Rhap octyl analogues as substrates for mycobacterial galactosyl transferase activity

Abstract The biochemically unique structures of sugar residues in the outer cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) make the pathways for their biosynthesis and utilization attractive targets for the development of new and selective anti-tubercular agents. A cell-free assay system for galactosyltransferase activity using UDP[ 14 C]Gal as the glycosyl donor, as well as an in vitro colorimetric broth micro-dilution assay system, were used to determine the activities of three β- d -gal f (1→4)-α- l -rham p octyl disaccharides as substrates and antimycobacterial agents respectively. The cell-free enzymatic studies using compounds 8 Download high-res image (126KB) Download full-size image Scheme 1 . Synthesis of disaccharides. Reagents and conditions: (a) Ac 2 O, Pyridine, rt, 4 h, 98%; (b) SnCl 4 , CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 OH, CH 3 CN, 0°C–rt, 83%; (c) NaOMe, MeOH, rt, 2 h, 99%; (d) 2,2′-dimethoxypropane, (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulphonic acid, acetone, rt, 2 h, 96%; (e) Hg(CN) 2 , HgBr 2 , CH 3 CN, 2 h, 79%; (f) NaOMe, MeOH, rt, 1 h, 90%; (g) TFA containing 1% H 2 O, CHCl 3 , rt, 3 h, 91%; (h) TFA containg 1% H 2 O, CHCl 3 rt, 3 h, 85%; (i) NaOMe, MeOH, rt, 1 h, 99%. and 10 suggested that these disaccharides bind to and are effective substrates for a putative mycobacterial galactosyltransferase. The modified acceptor 8 was found to be a slower but prolonged binder as compared to the less substituted analogue 10 as evidenced by their K m and V max values. Moderate antimycobacterial activity was observed with compounds 8 and 9 against MTB H37Ra and three clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC).

A high-throughput screening assay for inhibitors of bacterial motility identifies a novel inhibitor of the Na+-driven flagellar motor and virulence gene expression in Vibrio cholerae.

ABSTRACT Numerous bacterial pathogens, particularly those that colonize fast-flow areas in the bladder and gastrointestinal tract, require motility to establish infection and spread beyond the initially colonized tissue. Vibrio cholerae strains of serogroups O1 and O139, the causative agents of the diarrheal illness cholera, express a single polar flagellum powered by sodium motive force and require motility to colonize and spread along the small intestine. Therefore, motility may be an attractive target for small molecules that can prevent and/or block the infective process. In this study, we describe a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay to identify small molecules that selectively inhibit bacterial motility. The HTS assay was used to screen an ∼8,000-compound structurally diverse chemical library for inhibitors of V. cholerae motility. The screen identified a group of quinazoline-2,4-diamino analogs that completely suppressed motility without affecting the growth rate in broth. A further study on the effects of one analog, designated Q24DA, showed that it induces a flagellated but nonmotile (Mot−) phenotype and is specific for the Na+-driven flagellar motor of pathogenic Vibrio species. A mutation conferring phenamil-resistant motility did not eliminate inhibition of motility by Q24DA. Q24DA diminished the expression of cholera toxin and toxin-coregulated pilus as well as biofilm formation and fluid secretion in the rabbit ileal loop model. Furthermore, treatment of V. cholerae with Q24DA impacted additional phenotypes linked to Na+ bioenergetics, such as the function of the primary Na+ pump, Nqr, and susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. The above results clearly show that the described HTS assay is capable of identifying small molecules that specifically block bacterial motility. New inhibitors such as Q24DA may be instrumental in probing the molecular architecture of the Na+-driven polar flagellar motor and in studying the role of motility in the expression of other virulence factors.

A facile method for deprotection of trityl ethers using column chromatography

A mild, efficient and inexpensive detritylation method is reported that uses trifluoroacetic acid on a silica gel column to obtain pure, detritylated compounds in one-step. This method is applicable to acid stable as well as acid sensitive compounds with only slight alterations in the procedure. Nineteen examples are given.