[Pharmaceutical use of cyclodextrines: perspectives for drug targeting and control of membrane interactions]. / Les cyclodextrines en pharmacie: perspectives pour le ciblage d'actifs thérapeutiques et le contrôle d'interactions membranaires.

Cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins, CDs) comprise a family of biocompatible cage devices which have been developed during the last thirty years in order to improve the solubility, stability and the bioavailability of drugs. Chemical modification usually improves the solubility and solubilisation properties and generally alleviates the renal toxicity of native cyclodextrins. Red cell lysis, which is ascribed to membrane interactions is also monitored. Selective and commercially accessible functionalisation processes are now available which avoid the problems of heterogeneity commonly found with the existing industrial approaches. These allow a convenient access to modular structures which could fit the molecular characteristics of the host ("bouquet" and dimeric CDs). Grafting of saccharide ligands which are recognised by membrane proteins is another promising aspect for the transport and targeting of drugs and the control of cell interactions. Several topological aspects of ligand presentation toward a membrane lectin have been assessed with concanavalin A and mannosyl CD-dendrimers and the results have been extended to molecular targeting to macrophages. Advantage has been taken of the autoassociation properties of amphiphilic derivatives of cyclodextrins for the preparation of stable nanoparticles of interest for the transport and targeting of drugs and macromolecular systems.

Carbohydrate-derived spiroketals. Stereoselective synthesis of di-D-fructose dianhydrides by boron trifluoride promoted glycosylation-spiroketalization of acetal precursors.

[reaction: see text] Di-D-fructose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydrides, dispiro-tricyclic disaccharides widely found in food materials, have been stereoselectively prepared in one-pot reaction from O-protected D-fructose 1,2-acetonide precursors by treatment with boron trifluoride diethyl etherate. The dimerization sequence involves (i) cleavage of the anomeric acetal linkage, (ii) autoglycosylation, and (iii) final spiroketalization, the stereochemical outcome being strongly dependent on the nature of the hydroxyl protecting groups.

Synthesis of the HSA-conjugate of the S-linked thiomimetic of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the immunostimulant polysaccharide, schizophyllan. Evaluation as potential immunomodulator.

The conjugate with human serum albumin (HSA) of the S-linked thioanalogue of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide, schizophyllan, was synthesized from 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-3-S-[2,4-di-O-acetyl-3,6-di-S-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-ac etyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,6-dithio-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-3-thio-bet a-D-glucopyranose [M.O. Contour-Galcera et al., Carbohydr. Res., 281 (1996) 119-128] in five steps, and its potential immunomodulatory activity was evaluated in human blood mononuclear cells. The protein glycoconjugate did not effect proliferation or production of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-g in a significant way.

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of mono- and disaccharides in D-fructose, D-glucose and sucrose caramels by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Di-D-fructose dianhydrides as tracers of caramel authenticity.

The monosaccharide (D-fructose, D-glucose, anhydrosugars), disaccharide (glucobioses) and pseudodisaccharide (di-D-fructose dianhydrides) content of D-fructose, D-glucose and sucrose caramels has been determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) of their trimethylsilyl (TMS) or TMS-oxime derivatives. The chromatographic profiles revealed significant differences in the disaccharide/pseudodisaccharide distribution depending on the caramel source: a D-fructose caramel contains prominent proportions of di-D-fructose dianhydrides, a D-glucose caramel mainly D-glucobioses, and a sucrose caramel similar proportions of both disaccharide/pseudodisaccharide series. It is noteworthy that di-D-fructose dianhydrides are found in all three types of caramels and might then be used as specific tracers of the authenticity of caramel, i.e., a product resulting from the controlled heat treatment of food-grade carbohydrates for use as food additives.

Structural heterogeneity of the sialic-acid-containing oligosaccharides from the lipopolysaccharide of Hafnia alvei strain 2 as detected by FABMS studies.

The structure of four oligosaccharide fractions from the Hafnia alvei strain 2 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have been assigned by FABMS. This approach corroborates data previously established by NMR spectroscopy for the major oligosaccharides in these fractions [A. Gamian, E. Romanowska, U. Dabrowski, J. Dabrowski, Biochemistry 30 (1991) 5032-5038; E. Katzenellenbogen, A. Gamian, E. Romanowska, U. Dabrowski, J. Dabrowski, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 194 (1993) 1058-1064; N. Ravenscroft, A. Gamian, E. Romanowska, Eur. J. Biochem. 227 (1995) 889-896]. In addition, the MS/MS with B/E linked scan technique allowed the detection of an additional oligosaccharide with the structure: [formula: see text] lacking the branched O-6 linked glucopyranose residue at the 3-linked Gal unit, which indicates a structural heterogeneity for the major oligosaccharide fraction.

Epileptic drivers--a study of 1,089 patients.

A longitudinal study of 1,089 epileptic patients followed up by the same specialist between 1965-1991, allowed close observation of the seizures occurring to the patient at the wheel and their consequences and to relate them to detailed epileptological criteria. The results show road accidents caused by epileptic seizures are few and most of them are minor. The repatriation of risks between patients is very uneven. The quality of the neuro-psychic inter-critical state as well as the patients' degree of compliance seem to be more reliable risk indicators than some more traditional criteria like the length of remission between seizures. Although seizures occur more frequently in patients suffering from Complex Partial seizures as opposed to other forms of epileptic seizures, the differences between patients with epilepsy lies mostly in their behaviour and in their own representation of the risks. There is a need for a body of rules and regulations serving as an official framework regulating the driving test. This widely circulated document should take into account the multiplicity of cases, including the small number of patients thought to be dangerous. Its mode of application should allow doctors as well as patients to opt for a realistic attitude based on decision-making criteria involving a thorough knowledge of epilepsy as well as a thorough knowledge of the psychological characteristics of the patient concerned.

Structural studies of the major glycolipid from Saccharopolyspora genus.

A major glycolipid was isolated from the well characterized Saccharopolyspora species, S. hirsuta, S. rectivirgula, S. erythraea and one not completely identified strain (Saccharopolyspora sp.). On the basis of sugar and methylation analysis, specific enzymatic and chemical degradations of the carbohydrate moiety, its FAB mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy characterizations, the carbohydrate part was shown to be the glycerol linked dimannoside alpha-D-Manp-(1-->3)-alpha-D-Manp-(1-->1/3)Gro. The internal mannose residue is esterified at C-6 by one fatty acid residue, whereas another fatty acyl chain substitutes the primary methylene position of glycerol. The main fatty acyl residues are anteiso-branched heptadecanoic acid and the iso-branched fatty acids iso-17:0, iso-16:0, and iso-18:0, with the former species being predominant. The major glycolipid has potential value for taxonomic and diagnostic purposes, especially in the specific diagnosis of farmer's lung disease.

Synthesis of sulfur-linked analogues of nigerose, laminarabiose, laminaratriose, gentiobiose, gentiotriose, and laminaran trisaccharide Y.

Sulfur-linked analogues of 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucose (nigerose), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucose (laminarabiose), 6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucose (gentiobiose), O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-D-glucos e (laminaratriose), O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-D-gluco se (gentiotriose) and 3,6-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucose (laminaran trisaccharide Y), namely, respectively, 3-thionigerose (6), 3-thiolaminarabiose (11), 6-thiogentiobiose (21), 3I,3II-dithiolaminaratriose (16), 6I,6II-dithiogentiotriose (29) and 3I,6I-dithiolaminaran trisaccharide Y (37) have been conveniently prepared by SN2 reactions of the corresponding anomer of D-glucopyranose 1-thiolate with suitably activated monosaccharide derivatives in N,N-dimethylformamide (for 6 and 21) or in tetrahydrofuran in the presence of a crown ether (for 11). A sequence involving the reaction of non-anomeric thiolates with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide was alternatively used for the preparation of 11 and 21 but proved less satisfactory. The preparation of thiotrisaccharides 16, 29, and 37 involved a mixed approach.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of sulfur-linked analogues of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating-unit of the immunostimulant polysaccharide schizophyllan and of its beta-(1-->3)-branched, beta-(1-->6)-linked isomer.

The branched, sulfur-linked tetrasaccharide S-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-S-[(6-S-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,6-dit hio- beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-(1-->3)-S-3-thio-D-glucopyranose (9) has been conveniently prepared by SN2 displacement of the triflate group in 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-O-trifluoromethylsulfonyl-alpha-D-++ +allofuranose with the sodium salt of 2,4-di-O-acetyl-3,6-di-S-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)- 1,3,6- trithio-beta-D-glucopyranose (5). Conversely, reaction of the sodium salt of 5 with 1,2,3,4-tetra-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-6-iodo-beta-D-glucopyranose afforded the positional isomer S-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-S-[(3-S-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,6-dit hio- beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-(1-->6)-S-6-thio-D-glucopyranose (12).

Structure of the Hafnia alvei strain PCM 1188 O-specific polysaccharide.

The lipopolysaccharide was extracted from cells of Hafnia alvei PCM 1188 strain and, after mild acid hydrolysis, the O-specific polysaccharide isolated and characterized. On the basis of sugar and methylation analysis, FAB mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy of the polysaccharide and oligosaccharides obtained after Smith degradation, or solvolysis with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, the repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide was shown to be the pentasaccharide: [formula: see text]

Isothiocyanates and cyclic thiocarbamates of alpha,alpha'-trehalose, sucrose, and cyclomaltooligosaccharides.

6,6'-Dideoxy-6,6'-diisothiocyanato-alpha,alpha'-trehalose (4), 6-deoxy-6-isothiocyanato-alpha-D-fructo-furanose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride (11), 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diisothiocyanatosucrose (16), and per(6-deoxy-6-isothiocyanato)-cyclomaltohexaose (23), -cyclomaltoheptaose (27), and -cyclomaltooctaose (31) have been prepared in high yield by reaction of the corresponding amino sugars with thiophosgene. In the absence of base, all isothiocyanates were stable and could be stored and acetylated without decomposition. In the presence of triethylamine, 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diisothiocyanato-alpha,alpha'-trehalose underwent intramolecular cyclisation involving HO-4 to give the corresponding bis(cyclic thiocarbamate). The product of cyclisation at a single glucopyranosyl unit was obtained in the treatment of the above diisothiocyanate with mixed (H+, HO-) ion-exchange resin. Under identical reaction conditions, 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diisothiocyanatosucrose yielded exclusively the product of intramolecular cyclisation at the D-glucopyranosyl moiety, while derivatives of alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride and cyclomaltooligosaccharides remained unchanged.

Difructose dianhydrides from sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides and their use as building blocks for the preparation of amphiphiles, liquid crystals, and polymers.

Controlled selective protonic activation of the fructosyl moiety in sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides, with pyridinium poly (hydrogen fluoride) at 20 degrees C, yielded either the kinetic product alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride (1), or its thermodynamically more stable isomer alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride (2), depending on the hydrogen fluoride-pyridine ratio. A similar reaction was performed with 6,6'-dichloro-6,6'-dideoxysucrose, or 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diiodosucrose, using a slightly higher ratio of HF, resulting in the corresponding 6-deoxy-6-halo-alpha-D-fructofuranose 6'-deoxy-6'-halo-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride derivatives. Both 6,6'-dihalides were converted, upon action of the appropriate nucleophile, into the difructofuranose dianhydride derivatives bearing the 6,6'-di-S-heptyl-6,6'-dithio, 6,6'-diazido-6,6'-dideoxy and then 6,6'-diamino-6,6'-dideoxy functionalities. 6-Chloro-6-deoxy and 6-deoxy-6-iodo derivatives of 2 were also prepared by direct halogenation, and further converted into the 6-S-heptyl-6-thio, 6-azido-6-deoxy and then 6-amino-6-deoxy derivatives of 2. Reaction of chloromethyloxirane with 1 or 2 yielded hydrophilic polymers. The 6,6'-di-S-heptyl-6,6'-dithio derivative of 1 displayed liquid crystal properties. The 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diiodosucrose precursor was prepared by the reaction of Garegg's iodine-imidazole-triphenylphosphine reagent with sucrose in N,N-dimethylformamide solution.

Structure of the Escherichia coli O24 and O56 O-specific sialic-acid-containing polysaccharides and linkage of these structures to the core region in lipopolysaccharides.

The lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli O24 and O56 could be separated into higher-molecular-mass and lower-molecular-mass fractions. Mild acid hydrolysis of lipopolysaccharides of both serotypes released an O-specific polysaccharide and a tetrasaccharide repeating unit. Oligomers of the repeating unit, the core and the oligosaccharide that contains a fragment of the repeating unit linked to the core region were also obtained according to hydrolysis conditions. On the basis of sugar and methylation analyses, Smith degradation, fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy of the hydrolysis products, the biological repeating units of the O-specific polysaccharides were shown to be the following tetrasaccharides: [formula: see text] The structures differ from the structures proposed previously by Kogan et al. [Kogan, G., Shashkov, A. S., Jann, B. & Jann, K. (1993) Carbohydr. Res. 238, 261-270; Kogan, G., Jann, B. & Jann, K. (1993) Carbohydr. Res. 238, 335-338]. The O-specific repeating unit in E. coli O24 lipopolysaccharide is linked to O6 of the terminal D-galactose in the core region, whereas in O56 LPS the repeating unit is linked to O4 of a subterminal D-glucose residue in an R2 type core.

A convenient access to beta-(1-->4)-linked 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl fluoride oligosaccharides and beta-(1-->4)-linked 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl oligosaccharides by fluorolysis and fluorohydrolysis of chitosan.

beta-(1-->4)-Linked 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl oligosaccharides, in the form of their alpha-glucopyranosyl fluorides at the reducing end, were obtained by fluorolysis of chitosan in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride at room temperature. The average dp depended on the reaction time and was conveniently monitored by 13C NMR spectroscopy, using the signal ratios for beta-(1-->4) bonded C-1 at approximately 98.5 ppm and the C-1 doublet for the terminal glycosyl fluoride moiety at approximately 104 ppm. Preparative fractionation of dp 2-11 glycosyl fluoride oligosaccharides, obtained after 18 h of fluorolysis, was achieved by gel-permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-4 with aqueous acetic acid-ammonium acetate as eluent. Hydrolysis of the anomeric fluoride, with either aqueous perchloric acid, or by a sequence involving formation of the C-2 N-trifluoroacetate and subsequent simultaneous hydrolysis of the glycosyl fluoride and the amide substituent with aqueous methanol, yielded the free beta-(1-->4)-linked 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl oligosaccharides which were separated, for dp 2-11, by the same gel-exclusion technique. Both oligosaccharide series, either free or in the form of their alpha-glycopyranosyl fluorides, were fully characterized.

A convenient synthesis for anomeric 2-thioglucobioses, 2-thiokojibiose and 2-thiosophorose.

2-S-alpha-D-Glucopyranosyl-2-thio-D-glucopyranose (2-thiokojibiose, 8) and 2-S-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2-thio-D-glucopyranose (2-thiosophorose, 14) were conveniently prepared by SN2 reaction of the corresponding anomers of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-D-glucopyranose with 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-tri-flyl-beta-D-mannopyranose, followed by a deprotection sequence for the anomeric acetate involving conversion into the 1-propenyl glycosides. Alkaline O-deacetylation was followed by smooth hydrolysis of the propenyl group at pH approximately 2.

Synthesis of dispirodioxanyl pseudo-oligosaccharides by selective protonic activation of isomeric glycosylfructoses in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride.

Dispirodioxanyl pseudotetrasaccharides 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructopyranose 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, and 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride were respectively obtained, on a preparative scale, by dissolution of the isomeric glycosylfructoses palatinose, leucrose, maltulose, lactulose, and turanose in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The reaction, involving selective protonation at the free anomeric position of the fructose unit, was extended to the preparation of the pseudotrisaccharides 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2',1-dianhydride from palatinose and fructose, and to its 3-O-, 4-O-, and 4'-O-glucosyl analogues using turanose and maltulose as the disaccharide precursor. The cross-reactions of palatinose with maltulose and with leucrose resulted in the preparation of 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride and 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, respectively.

Protonic reactivity of sucrose in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride.

Sucrose reacts quantitatively, when dissolved at high concentration in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, to afford a complex mixture of difructose dianhydrides and their glucosylated derivatives. Oligo- and small poly-saccharides up to dp 14 were detected by FABMS. Oligosaccharides up to dp 4, representing approximately 50% of the total mixture, have been isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and comparison with reference oligosaccharides previously obtained by unambiguous synthesis. alpha-D-Fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride is the main spirodioxanyl pseudodisaccharide entity found in the mixture, either free or glucosylated at C-6 and to a lesser extent at C-3, C-4, C-4', C-6, and C-5' C-6. Minor spirodioxanyl pseudodisaccharide components are di-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, which has also been found glucosylated at C-5, alpha-D-fructopyranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, beta-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,3'-dianhydride, and the 6,6'-diglucosylated alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride. A 13C NMR examination of the higher mass oligomeric fraction suggests that it may involve 6-O-isomaltooligoglycosyl alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydrides as the main structural components. The reaction of sucrose in anhydrous HF is believed to proceed through initial selective protonic activation of the tertiary anomeric carbon atom of the fructose moiety, resulting in the quantitative formation of difructose dianhydrides, which subsequently suffer electrophilic substitution by glucopyranosyl oxocarbenium ions generated in a second step by action of the HF.