Synthesis of Sialidase-Resistant Oligosaccharide and Antibody Glycoform Containing α2,6-Linked 3Fax-Neu5Ac

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Apr 24;141(16):6484-6488. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b01991. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Abstract

Fluorinated glycosides are known to resist the glycosidase-catalyzed glycosidic bond cleavage; however, the synthesis of such glycans, especially 3-fluoro-sialic acid (3F-Neu5Ac) containing sialosides, has been a major challenge. Though the enzymatic synthesis of α-2,3-linked 3F-sialosides was reported, until recently there has not been any effective method available for the synthesis of 3F-sialosides in the α-2,6-linkage. In order to understand the biological effect of such modification, we report here a chemical synthesis of 3Fax-Neu5Ac-α2,6-Gal as a building block for the assembly of 3Fax-Neu5Ac-containing sialosides and a representative homogeneous antibody glycoform. Our results showed that the sialosides are stable under sialidase catalysis and the rituximab glycoform with a sialylated complex-type biantennary glycan terminated with 3Fax-Neu5Ac in the α-2,6-linkage (α2,6-F-SCT) has a similar binding avidity as its parent glycoform. These findings open up new opportunities for the development of therapeutic glycoproteins with improved pharmacokinetic parameters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / chemistry*
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Biocatalysis
  • Carbohydrate Conformation
  • Neuraminidase / chemistry*
  • Neuraminidase / metabolism
  • Oligosaccharides / chemical synthesis*
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry
  • Oligosaccharides / metabolism
  • Sialic Acids / chemistry*
  • Sialic Acids / metabolism
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Sialic Acids
  • Neuraminidase