Chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis of S-linked ganglioside analogues and their protein conjugates for use as immunogens.

Analogues of the tumor-associated gangliosides GM(3) and GM(2) containing terminal S-linked neuraminic acid residues and an amino terminated, truncated ceramide homologue have been synthesized and conjugated to a protein. The synthesis involved coupling of a S-linked sialyl alpha(2-->3) galactose disaccharide with a glucosyl sphingosine analogue, followed by elaboration and deprotection to give amino-terminated glycosyl ceramide 1. Glycosyltransferase-catalyzed extension of the trisaccharide 1 provided access to the modified GM(2) tetrasaccharide 2 or sulphur-containing GD(3) analogue 30. Owing to their potentially enhanced resistance to endogenous exo-glycoside hydrolases and their inherent non-self character, carbohydrate antigens containing non-reducing terminal thioglycosidic linkages may be more immunogenic than O-linked antigens and may stimulate the production of antibodies capable of recognizing naturally occurring oligosaccharides. Our initial results suggest that in fact these antigens are viable immunogens and furthermore, that immune sera cross reacts with O-gangliosides in the context of a heterologous glycoprotein conjugate.