Chemical and enzymatic synthesis of high-affinity selectin ligands

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0960-894X(97)00051-6

Analogs of sialyl Lewis(X) have been synthesized chemically using donors of modified sialic acids. The sialic acids were obtained enzymatically by an aldolase reaction. The sLe(x) tetrasaccharides modified at C-2 of the GlcNAc moiety and at C-5 of the sialic acid residue were tested as inhibitors for E- and P-selectins. Up to 12-fold higher inhibitory potency was found for the lyso-derivative of sLeX compared to the parent compound.