B. Mario Pinto

Structural basis for substrate selectivity in human maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase N-terminal domains.

Human maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM) and sucrase-isomaltase (SI) are small intestinal enzymes that work concurrently to hydrolyze the mixture of linear α-1,4- and branched α-1,6-oligosaccharide substrates that typically make up terminal starch digestion products. MGAM and SI are each composed of duplicated catalytic domains, N- and C-terminal, which display overlapping substrate specificities. The N-terminal catalytic domain of human MGAM (ntMGAM) has a preference for short linear α-1,4-oligosaccharides, whereas N-terminal SI (ntSI) has a broader specificity for both α-1,4- and α-1,6-oligosaccharides. Here we present the crystal structure of the human ntSI, in apo form to 3.2 Å and in complex with the inhibitor kotalanol to 2.15 Å resolution. Structural comparison with the previously solved structure of ntMGAM reveals key active site differences in ntSI, including a narrow hydrophobic +1 subsite, which may account for its additional substrate specificity for α-1,6 substrates.

Structure and dynamics of oligosaccharides: NMR and modeling studies

Recent advances in the conformational analysis of oligosaccharides have focused on protein-bound oligosaccharides, glycopeptides, and glycoproteins, as well as on the conformational dynamics about glycosidic linkages. Significant progress has been made possible by dramatic improvements in NMR techniques and advances in computational chemistry and technology. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effects have been used to infer the conformations of carbohydrate ligands bound to protein receptors such as antibodies, lectins and enzymes. The increased use of combined NMR spectroscopic and computational protocols has resulted in insights into the dynamics of glycan chains.

Phenylselenoglycosides as novel, versatile glycosyl donors. Selective activation over thioglycosides

Abstract Selective activation of phenylselonoglycosides over ethylthioglycosides with silver trifluoromethanesulfonate and anhydrous potassium carbonate gives an efficient synthesis of disaccharides from selenoglycoside donors and thioglycoside acceptors. Activation is quenched by addition of 1,1,3,3,-tetramethylurea or collidine.

Structure Proof and Synthesis of Kotalanol and De-O-sulfonated Kotalanol, Glycosidase Inhibitors Isolated from an Herbal Remedy for the Treatment of Type-2 Diabetes

Kotalanol and de-O-sulfonated-kotalanol are the most active principles in the aqueous extracts of Salacia reticulata which are traditionally used in India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand for the treatment of diabetes. We report here the exact stereochemical structures of these two compounds by synthesis and comparison of their physical data to those of the corresponding natural compounds. The candidate structures were based on our recent report on the synthesis of analogues and also the structure-activity relationship studies of lower homologues. The initial synthetic strategy relied on the selective nucleophilic attack of p-methoxybenzyl (PMB)-protected 4-thio-D-arabinitol at the least hindered carbon atom of two different, selectively protected 1,3-cyclic sulfates to afford the sulfonium sulfates. The protecting groups consisted of a methylene acetal, in the form of a seven-membered ring, and benzyl ethers. Deprotection of the adducts yielded the sulfonium ions but also resulted in de-O-sulfonation. Comparison of the physical data of the two adducts to those reported for de-O-sulfonated natural kotalanol yielded the elusive structure of kotalanol by inference. The side chain of this compound was determined to be another naturally occurring heptitol, d-perseitol (d-glycero-d-galacto-heptitol) with a sulfonyloxy group at the C-5 position. The synthesis of kotalanol itself was then achieved by coupling PMB-protected 4-thio-d-arabinitol with a cyclic sulfate that was synthesized from the naturally occurring d-perseitol. The work establishes unambiguously the structures of two natural products, namely, kotalanol and de-O-sulfonated kotalanol.

Mapping the intestinal alpha-glucogenic enzyme specificities of starch digesting maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase

Inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidases and pancreatic α-amylases is an approach to controlling blood glucose and serum insulin levels in individuals with Type II diabetes. The two human intestinal glucosidases are maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase. Each incorporates two family 31 glycoside hydrolases responsible for the final step of starch hydrolysis. Here we compare the inhibition profiles of the individual N- and C-terminal catalytic subunits of both glucosidases by clinical glucosidase inhibitors, acarbose and miglitol, and newly discovered glucosidase inhibitors from an Ayurvedic remedy used for the treatment of Type II diabetes. We show that features of the compounds introduce selectivity towards the subunits. Together with structural data, the results enhance the understanding of the role of each catalytic subunit in starch digestion, helping to guide the development of new compounds with subunit specific antidiabetic activity. The results may also have relevance to other metabolic diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Synthesis of 26-hydroxy-22-oxocholestanic frameworks from diosgenin and hecogenin and their in vitro antiproliferative and apoptotic activity on human cervical cancer CaSki cells.

Certain steroidal compounds have demonstrated an antiproliferative effect against several tumor cell lines; however, their complete role on cancer cells is not currently established. Herein, we report the synthesis and evaluation of two new 26-hydroxy-22-oxocholestanic steroids on cervical cancer CaSki cells. The title compounds were prepared from diosgenin and hecogenin in excellent yields. We determined their effect on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and cell death. The cytotoxic effect of the title compounds on CaSki and human lymphocytes was also evaluated, indicating that the main cell death process is not necrosis; the null effect on lymphocytes implies that they are not cytotoxic. The observation of apoptotic bodies as well as the increase in the expression of active caspase-3 along with the fragmentation of DNA confirmed that such new cholestanic frameworks induced apoptosis in tumor cells. Significantly, their antiproliferative activity on tumor cells did not affect the proliferative potential of normal fibroblasts from cervix and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The title compounds show selective antitumor activity and therefore serve as promising lead candidates for further optimization.

Studies directed toward the stereochemical structure determination of the naturally occurring glucosidase inhibitor, kotalanol: synthesis and inhibitory activities against human maltase glucoamylase of seven-carbon, chain-extended homologues of salacinol.

The synthesis of new seven-carbon, chain-extended sulfonium salts of 1,4-anhydro-4-thio- d-arabinitol, analogues of the naturally occurring glycosidase inhibitor salacinol, are described. These compounds were designed on the basis of the structure activity data of chain-extended analogues of salacinol, with the intention of determining the hitherto unknown stereochemical structure of kotalanol, the naturally occurring seven-carbon chain-extended analogue of salacinol. The target zwitterionic compounds were synthesized by means of nucleophilic attack of the PMB-protected 1,4-anhydro-4-thio- d-arabinitols at the least hindered carbon atom of two 1,3-cyclic sulfates differing in stereochemistry at only one stereogenic center. The desired cyclic sulfates were synthesized starting from d-glucose via Wittig olefination and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation. Deprotection of the coupled products by using a two-step sequence afforded two sulfonium sulfates. Optical rotation data for one of our compounds indicated a correspondence with that reported for kotalanol. However, comparison of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectral data of the synthetic compounds with those of kotalanol indicated discrepancies. The collective data from this and published work were used to propose a tentative structure for the naturally occurring compound, kotalanol. Comparison of physical data of previously synthesized analogues with those for the recently isolated six-carbon chain analogue, ponkoranol or reticulanol, also led to elucidation of this structure. Interestingly, both our compounds inhibited recombinant human maltase glucoamylase (MGA), as expected from our previous structure activity studies of lower homologues, with K i values of 0.13 +/- 0.02 and 0.10 +/- 0.02 microM.

Inhibitor selectivity of a new class of oseltamivir analogs against viral neuraminidase over human neuraminidase enzymes

The viral neuraminidase enzyme is an established target for anti-influenza pharmaceuticals. However, viral neuraminidase inhibitors could have off-target effects due to interactions with native human neuraminidase enzymes. We report the activity of a series of known inhibitors of the influenza group-1 neuraminidase enzyme (N1 subtype) against recombinant forms of the human neuraminidase enzymes NEU3 and NEU4. These inhibitors were designed to take advantage of an additional enzyme pocket (known as the 150-cavity) near the catalytic site of certain viral neuraminidase subtypes (N1, N4 and N8). We find that these modified derivatives have minimal activity against the human enzymes, NEU3 and NEU4. Two compounds show moderate activity against NEU3, possibly due to alternative binding modes available to these structures. Our results reinforce that recognition of the glycerol side-chain is distinct between the viral and human NEU enzymes, and provide experimental support for improving the selectivity of viral neuraminidase inhibitors by exploiting the 150-cavity found in certain subtypes of viral neuraminidases.

STD-NMR Studies Suggest that Two Acceptor Substrates for GlfT2, a Bifunctional Galactofuranosyltransferase Required for the Biosynthesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Arabinogalactan, Compete for the Same Binding Site

The mycobacterial cell wall is a complex architecture, which has, as its major structural component, a lipidated polysaccharide covalently bound to peptidoglycan. This structure, termed the mycolyl–arabinogalactan–peptidoglycan complex, possesses a core galactan moiety composed of approximately 30 galactofuranosyl (Galf) resides attached via alternating β‐(1→6) and β‐(1→5) linkages. Recent studies have shown that the entire galactan is synthesized by the action of only two bifunctional galactofuranosyltransferases, GlfT1 and GlfT2. We report here saturation‐transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy studies with GlfT2 using two trisaccharide acceptor substrates, β‐D‐Galf‐(1→6)‐β‐D‐Galf‐(1→5)‐β‐D‐Galf‐O(CH2)7CH3 (2) and β‐D‐Galf‐(1→5)‐β‐D‐Galf‐(1→6)‐β‐D‐Galf‐O(CH2)7CH3 (3), as well as the donor substrate for the enzyme, UDP‐Galf. Competition STD‐NMR titration experiments and saturation transfer double difference (STDD) experiments with 2 and 3 were undertaken to explore the bifunctionality of this enzyme, in particular to answer whether one or two active sites are responsible for the formation of both β‐(1→5)‐ and β‐(1→6)‐Galf linkages. It was demonstrated that 2 and 3 bind competitively at the same site; this suggests that GlfT2 has one active site pocket capable of catalyzing both β‐(1→5) and β‐(1→6) galactofuranosyl transfer reactions. The addition of UDP‐Galf to GlfT2 in the presence of either 2 or 3 generated a tetrasaccharide product; this indicates that the enzyme was catalytically active under the conditions at which the STD‐NMR experiments were carried out.

The syntheses, 77Se CP-MAS solid state NMR spectra and crystal structures of adducts of the selenium coronand, 1,5,9,13-tetraselenacyclohexadecane, with copper(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate and mercury(II) cyanide

The preparation, characterization, X-ray crystal structures and 77Se CP-MAS solid state NMR spectra of adducts of 1,5,9,13-tetraselenacyclohexadecane with copper(I)trifluoromethansesulfonate and mercury(II)cyanide are reported. Crystal data: [(Cu(Se(CH2)3)4)][SO3CF3] (1); orthorhombic; space group B2212; a = 8.947 (2); b = 15.184(2); c = 15.918(2) A; V = 2162.2 A3; Z = 4; FW = 696.77; ϱc = 2.140 g cm−3; λ = 0.71069 A; R(F) = 0.044 for 622 data (I ⪖ 2.5σ(I)). (Hg(CN)2)3)4) (2); monoclinic; space group P21/c; a = 5.822(1); b = 12.457(2); c = 14.074(2) A; β = 99.07(1)°; V = 1008.1 A3; Z = 2; FW = 736.79; ϱc = 2.427 g cm−3; λ = 0.71069 A; R(F) = 0.038 for 1153 data (I ⪖ 2.5σ(I)). 1 displays orientational disorder of the SO3CF3− anion and correlated disorder of the complex cation. The refinement was stabilized using soft restraints. The cation is a three-dimensional polymeric complex with pseudo-tetrahedral coordination about copper to four distinct ligands. 2 consists of linear Hg(CN)2 molecules which interact weakly with four selenium atoms from different ligands to give a tetragonally distorted octahedral arrangement.