Synthesis and glycan priming activity of acetylated disaccharides

Five disaccharides related in structure to the glycans of vertebrate mucins have been chemically synthesized using orthogonal blocking, coupling and deblocking techniques. These include 2-naphthylmethyl 3,4,6-tetra- O-acetyl-β- d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-2-acetamido-3,6-di- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d-glucopyranoside ( 6), 2-naphthylmethyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-2,4,6-tri- O-acetyl-β- d-galactopyranoside ( 14), 2-naphthylmethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra- O-acetyl-β- d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-4,6-di- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-α- d-galactopyranoside ( 20), 2-naphthylmethyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-4,6-di- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-α- d-galactopyranoside ( 23) and 2-naphthylmethyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-2-acetamido-3,4-di- O-acetyl-2-deoxy-α- d-galactopyranoside ( 27). These per-O-acetylated compounds were fed to U-937 cells to test their ability to prime oligosaccharide synthesis, inhibit glycoprotein biosynthesis and alter adhesion to E-selectin expressed on endothelial cells. The results show that 6, 14, and 20 served as substrates for oligosaccharide synthesis. The generation of glycoside-primed glycans altered the formation of glycoproteins on the cell surface and inhibited cell adhesion dependent on E-selectin.