Studies on vaccines against cholera. Synthesis of neoglycoconjugates from the hexasaccharide determinant of Vibrio cholerae O:1, serotype Ogawa, by single-point attachment or by attachment of the hapten in the form of clusters.

The terminal hexasaccharide of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholerae O:1, serotype Ogawa, has been synthesized in the form of a glycoside whose aglycon (linker) allows conjugation to carrier proteins by reductive amination. The conjugate obtained from direct, single-point attachment of the linker-equipped hapten to chicken serum albumin (CSA) contained seven hapten residues/CSA. A neoglycoconjugate containing the carbohydrate antigen in the form of clusters was obtained using, as a hapten subcarrier, an oligopeptide containing 16 amino groups. It was treated with a limited amount of hapten, to give a hapten-carrying subcarrier (HCS). Subsequent conjugation of HCS to CSA, using squaric acid diethyl ester as a conjugation reagent, gave a cross-linked, glycocluster conjugate containing 51% (w/w) of the carbohydrate.