Geert-Jan Boons, PhD.

Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Topic: Synthetic heparan sulfate oligosaccharides to probe viral receptor specificities

Xuefei Huang, Ph.D.

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Topic: New hyaluronan like polysaccharides with enhanced CD44 affinity for molecular imaging and targeted drug delivery

Hyaluronan (HA) plays important roles in a wide range of biological events. The principal receptor of HA in the human body is the Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44). To enhance the binding between HA and CD44, a new approach was designed to take advantage of the four-component Ugi reaction. By modifying the carboxyl group on HA with various amine, aldehyde, and isocyanide moieties through the Ugi reaction, a large library of HA like polysaccharides was generated. Lead compounds were identified with significantly enhanced CD44 binding compared to unmodified HA, which was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), cellular studies and an in vivo mouse tumor model. We will present our results on syntheses and characterization of these new HA like polysaccharides, as well as the applications of these compounds and native HA in targeted imaging and drug delivery applications.

Xinshan Ye, PhD

Peking University, Beijing, China

Topic: Donor preactivation-based glycan synthesis and potential therapeutic applications

Carbohydrates play important roles in life science, and the synthesis of structurally well-defined glycans faces great challenges. We have developed a glycosyl donor preactivation-based one-pot glycosylation strategy, and a series of complex glycans with biological importance have been synthesized by this protocol. Recently, based on the established platform for synthesizing glycans, we have realized the synthesis of some naturally-occurring glycans, leading to the identification of active compounds with therapeutic potentials. These include the synthesis and anti-pancreatic-cancer activity of polysaccharides from Panax notoginseng, a traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the synthesis and anticoagulant activity of a fucoidan (sulfated glycan derived from brown algae) library.

Lai-Xi Wang, PhD

University of Maryland

Topic: Synthesis and functional studies of selectively fluorinated N-glycans and antibodies

Fluorination has attracted considerable interest in recent years due to the unique physicochemical properties of fluorine, including its high electronegativity, small size, and ability to modulate molecular recognition and metabolic stability. Specifically, selectively fluorinated glycans can serve as valuable tools for probing glycan–protein interactions and for modulating the immunogenicity of carbohydrate antigens. Despite their potential, the synthesis of fluorinated N-glycans remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of glycan structures and the need for regio- and stereoselective incorporation of fluorine atoms. We describe in this conference the chemoenzymatic synthesis of selectively fluorinated high-mannose type and complex type N-glycans, and related HIV-1 glycopeptide antigens. In addition, the modified N-glycans were transferred to antibodies by an endoglycosynthase mutant to produce selectively fluorinated antibody glycoforms. The stability, antigenicity, and affinity for respective glycan-binding proteins of the fluorinated glycans and antibodies will be discussed.

Ulrika Westerlind, PhD

UMEA University, Sweden

Topic: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Mucin Tandem Repeat Glycopeptides to Map Bacteria Lectin and Mucinase Interactions

Biao Yu, PhD

Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, China

Topic: Synthesis and Biological Activities of Pregnane Glycosides

In this lecture, I shall highlight our recent work on (1) the glycosylation methods for the synthesis of 2-deoxy-β-pyranosidic linkages; (2) the total synthesis and structural revision of the pregnane 2,6-dideoxyglycosides from folk medicinal plants Ecdysanthera rosea and Chonemorpha megacalyx; and (3) the identifcation of the appetite-suppressing pregnane glycosides in Hoodia gordonii and their mechanisms of action.