Microwave-assisted synthesis of highly sulfated mannuronate glycans as potential inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2

Org Biomol Chem. 2024 May 15;22(19):3986-3994. doi: 10.1039/d4ob00466c.

Abstract

Algae-based marine carbohydrate drugs are typically decorated with negative ion groups such as carboxylate and sulfate groups. However, the precise synthesis of highly sulfated alginates is challenging, thus impeding their structure-activity relationship studies. Herein we achieve a microwave-assisted synthesis of a range of highly sulfated mannuronate glycans with up to 17 sulfation sites by overcoming the incomplete sulfation due to the electrostatic repulsion of crowded polyanionic groups. Although the partially sulfated tetrasaccharide had the highest affinity for the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant, the fully sulfated octasaccharide showed the most potent interference with the binding of the RBD to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and Vero E6 cells, indicating that the sulfated oligosaccharides might inhibit the RBD binding to ACE2 in a length-dependent manner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2* / chemistry
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2* / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antiviral Agents* / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents* / pharmacology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Hexuronic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Hexuronic Acids / chemistry
  • Hexuronic Acids / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Microwaves*
  • Polysaccharides* / chemical synthesis
  • Polysaccharides* / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides* / pharmacology
  • SARS-CoV-2* / drug effects
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / chemistry
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfates / chemical synthesis
  • Sulfates / chemistry
  • Sulfates / pharmacology
  • Vero Cells