Takuya
Tashiro
a,
Yasuyuki
Ishii
b,
Tomokuni
Shigeura
c,
Ryusuke
Nakagawa
cd,
Hiroshi
Watarai
c,
Masaru
Taniguchi
c and
Kenji
Mori
*a
aGlycosphingolipid Synthesis Group, Laboratory for Immune Regulation, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. E-mail: kjk-mori@arion.ocn.ne.jp; Fax: +81 48 467 9381; Tel: +81 48 462 1339
bLaboratory for Vaccine Design, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, RIKEN Yokohama Institute, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
cLaboratory for Immune Regulation, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, RIKEN Yokohama Institute, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
dDepartment of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan
First published on 12th May 2011
α-Galactosphingolipid analogues of KRN7000 with a sulfonamide (RCAI-39), a COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundcarbamate (RCAI-41), an α,α-difluorocarboxamide (RCAI-100) or an N-methylcarboxamide linkage (RCAI-127) instead of a carboxamide bond of KRN7000 were synthesized. Their bioactivities for mouse natural killer T cells were examined. Bioactivities of truncated analogues, COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundOCH and RCAI-53, and β-galactosphingolipid (RCAI-128) were also examined. All of these glycosphingolipids induced Th2-biased cytokine production by their administration as liposomal particles. Among them, liposomes containing RCAI-127 induced the most potent Th2-biased response.
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| Fig. 1 Structures of KRN7000 (A) and its typical analogues developed by modification of the lipid chains of A. | ||
iNKT cells activated with A release both helper T1-type (Th1) and Th2 cytokines at the same time in large quantities by a single injection. Th1 cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ mediate protective immune functions like tumor rejection, whereas Th2 cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4 mediate regulatory immune functions to ameliorate autoimmune diseases. Additionally, Th1 and Th2 cytokines can antagonize each other's biological actions.11 Because of this antagonism, use of A for clinical therapy has been limited. To circumvent this problem, many research groups are trying to develop new glycolipids, which induce iNKT cells to produce preferentially either Th1 or Th2 cytokines. A number of analogues of A have been synthesized and assayed around the world.12 However, neither the definitive partial structures of A nor the critical factors which induce biased cytokine production by iNKT cells have been clarified yet.
The structure A contains three modifiable parts as follows: (i) the COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundgalactose–ceramide linkage, (ii) the COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundgalactose part, and (iii) the lipid chains. The representative analogues belonging to category (iii) are shown in Fig. 1. In 2001, Miyamoto et al. found that COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundOCH (B), an analogue of A with truncated alkyl chains, caused iNKT cells to produce IL-4 predominantly in mice in vivo.13,14 Kim et al. reported their KBC-007 (C), which has a di(n-heptyl)amino group at the end of the COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundoctanamide chain, induced enhanced and biased IL-4 production in vitro (using splenocytes from mice).15,16 On the other hand, an aromatic COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundoctanamide analogue C8PhF (D) exhibited a potent Th1-biased cytokine response in vitro (using cell population from humans).17,18 Isosteric replacement of 2-amido moiety of A with a COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound1,2,3-triazole (COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundE)19 or an ester group (RCAI-80, F)20 was reported, and led the analogues to Th2-type. Besides, α,α-difluoroacylated analogue (G) developed by Calenbergh and his co-workers also showed Th2-biased activity in mice in vivo.21 The analogue G has two COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundfluorine atoms at the position α to the carbonyl group to increase acidity of amide H, which may make COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundhydrogen bonding interaction with Thr156 of mouse CD1d (human: Thr154).7,8
In 2008, we reported that sulfonamide analogues of A (one of the potent Th2 cytokine inducer is RCAI-34, H) induced Th-2 biased cytokine production in vitro (mice), although they showed only very weak bioactivity in mice in vivo under conventional conditions.22 However, we thought them to show Th2-type bioactivity even in vivo, if we modify their drug delivery system, because one of the authors (Y.I.) has discovered that liposome particles can deliver glycolipids to the antigen presenting cells efficiently.23 We therefore synthesized sulfonamide analogue (RCAI-39, 2, Fig. 2) and others (RCAI-41, 53, 100, 127 and 128), and assayed their bioactivities by administration as liposome particles in mice. As a result, it was found that all of the liposomal glycosphingolipids induced iNKT cells to produce Th2-biased cytokines. Among them, liposomal N-methylated carboxamide analogue of A (RCAI-127, 5) induced a large and Th2-biased cytokine production.
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| Fig. 2 Structures of galactosphingolipids administered as liposome particles. | ||
Synthesis of α,α-difluorooctadecanoyl chloride (14) is shown in Scheme 1. Epoxide 8 was coupled with a Grignard reagent prepared from COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound1-bromopentadecane COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound7 under the Schlosser conditions to give 9.25 Alcohol 9 was oxidized to 10 (89% in two steps) followed by fluorination with COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound(diethylamino)sulfur trifluoride (DAST) to afford COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound11 (90%).26 After debenzylation,27 the resulting alcohol 12 was oxidized with Jones reagent to furnish acid 13 (77%), which was then converted to acyl chloride 14 in 99% yield.
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| Scheme 1
Reagents and conditions: (a) COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compound7, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundMg, I2, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundTHF, 25 °C; then 8, Li2CuCl4 (10 mol%) −40 to 25 °C, 12 h. (b) Jones CrO3, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundacetone, 25 °C, 1 h, 89%, two steps. (c) DAST, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundCH2Cl2, reflux, 24 h, 90%. (d) H2, Pd(OH)2-C, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundEtOH, reflux, 24 h, 96%. (e) Jones CrO3, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundacetone, 70 °C, 10 h, 77%. (f) (COCl)2, COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundbenzene, 60 °C, 1.5 h, 99%. | ||
In Scheme 2, synthesis of analogues 1, 3 and 4 (RCAI-53, 41 and 100) was summarized. Synthesis of 2 (RCAI-39) has already been reported.22 Amine 15, which could be prepared from commercially available phytosphingosine,22 was converted to amide 18a–c in 79–82% yield. Protective groups of 18a–c, tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) and benzyl groups, were successively removed by treatment with COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundtetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundTBAF) and by hydrogenolysis, respectively, to furnish analogues 1, 3, and 4.28
Analogue 5 (RCAI-127) was synthesized as shown in the lower part of Scheme 2. Amine 15 was treated with COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride (DNsCl) to give sulfonamide 20 in 71% yield. After N-methylation (89%), the resulting 21 was treated with COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundthioglycolic acid to afford amine 22 (88%).29 Finally, amine 22 was converted to 5 by acylation with COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundstearic acid and deprotection (two steps) similar to those employed in the synthesis of 1–4 in 72% yield (three steps).28
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| Fig. 3 Results of bioassay in mice in vivo. The concentrations at the peak time of cytokines in sera of mice by administration of glycolipids as solutions (□) or as liposome particles (■) were measured by ELISA or CBA. The data are shown as the relative intensity to those obtained by KRN7000. Data are means ± standard deviations from three mice. Results are representative of those from three independent experiments (**P < 0.05 and *P < 0.01 vs. KRN7000). | ||
The blank bars show the results obtained by treatment with glycolipids as PBS solutions. COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundOCH induced potent Th2-biased cytokine production similar to the reported data.13,14,33 As expected, RCAI-53 with an acyl chain shorter than that of KRN7000 together with its isoster RCAI-41 and the mimic RCAI-100 also induced predominant IL-4 production.34 On the other hand, RCAI-39 and RCAI-127 showed very weak bioactivity. In addition, as it is well known, RCAI-128 with β-galactosyl structure induced no cytokine production when it was injected as a PBS solution.
The filled bars indicate the data obtained by treatment with liposomal glycolipids. COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundOCH, RCAI-53, 41 and 100, which were bioactive as PBS solutions, induced Th2-type response.35 By this administration method, RCAI-39 and RCAI-127 were also bioactive, and stimulated NKT cells to produce a large amount of Th2-biased cytokines, although IFN-γ production was also slightly increased. Indeed, their liposomes induced a 2–4 times larger amount of IL-4 production than their solutions. Liposomal RCAI-39 induced IL-4 production almost a half as much as KRN7000 did, and the value of produced IL-4/IFN-γ at the peak time was 3.24 (relative to the value by liposomal KRN7000). On the other hand, the value by liposomal RCAI-127 was 3.47, and the quantity of produced IL-4 was approximately at the same level as that of liposomal KRN7000. The time course of the release of cytokines with the RCAI-compounds described above was similar to that observed for KRN7000 and its known analogues (see the ESI† for KRN7000 and RCAI-127).
The N-methylated analogue RCAI-127 also showed very weak bioactivity in mice in vivo when it was administered as a PBS solution, while its liposome induced iNKT cells to secrete a large amount of Th2-biased cytokines, especially IL-4. RCAI-127 has a bulky N-methyl group instead of the amide proton. In the complex of CD1d–KRN7000, the amide proton of KRN7000 makes a COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundhydrogen bonding network with CD1d. However, this NH is not essential for stimulating iNKT cells, since the COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compound1,2,3-triazole analogue (COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundE, Fig. 1) or the ester one (F) is bioactive.19,20 In the case of RCAI-127, making a complex with CD1d would be inhibited by the steric hindrance caused by the additional N-methyl group. We believe liposome particles enabled RCAI-127 to bind CD1d. The complex of CD1d–RCAI-127 is not so stable, but sufficiently stable to COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundlead iNKT cells to produce IL-4. The potent Th2-biased cytokine production was therefore induced by the administration of RCAI-127 as liposome particles.
We initially thought that Th2 bias shown by RCAI-39 and 100 might be linked to COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundhydrogen bonding involving the amide COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundhydrogen. However, the result with RCAI-127 appears to contradict this hypothesis, because it has no amide COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundhydrogen. Since the van der Waals atomic radii of F (1.35 Å) and S (1.85 Å) are larger than those of H (1.2 Å) and O (1.40 Å), and of course CH3 is larger than H, Th2 bias observed with RCAI-39, 100 and 127 may be due to steric effects to decrease the binding of the amide COMPOUND LINKS
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Download mol file of compoundcarbonyl or sulfonamide sulfonyl with CD1d protein. Difference in the electronegativity of these atoms may also influence the solvation and binding ability of the amide region. Further studies are necessary to clarify this point.
From these results, it was found that the liposome technique for administration of glycosphingolipids is one of the useful drug delivery methods in the field of iNKT cell study. It was also clarified that liposome particles enforce low affinity glycosphingolipids to make a complex with CD1d efficiently. This technology would allow the glycolipids to induce iNKT cells to preferential production of either Th1 or Th2 cytokines by modification of the components of the liposomes.
Finally, it should be worthy of note that liposomes of RCAI-128 prompted iNKT cells to secrete a trace amount of cytokines even though it is a β-glycosphingolipid, which is known as inactive against iNKT cells.5 The detailed mechanism how β-galactosphingolipid stimulates iNKT cells is under investigation.
There is still room for optimization of the components of liposomes, which induce iNKT cells to produce more selective IL-4 production.
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1, 6.88 (0.3H, d, J = 6.5 Hz), 6.80–6.28 (3.7H, m), 6.55 (0.7H, br s), 6.49 (0.3H, br s), 6.14 (0.3H, br s), 5.45 (0.3H, d, J = 3.5 Hz), 5.42 (0.7H, d, J = 3.5 Hz), 5.40 (0.7H, br s), 5.09 (1H, quint.-like, J = 3.5 Hz), 4.78 (0.3H, dd, J = 11, 4.0 Hz), 4.72 (0.7H, dd, J = 11, 4.0 Hz), 4.70 (0.3H, dd, J = 10, 4.0 Hz), 4.66 (0.7H, dd, J = 10, 4.0 Hz), 4.64 (0.3H, br d, J = 3.0 Hz), 4.60 (0.7H, br d, J = 3.0 Hz), 4.54–4.32 (5.7H, m), 4.25–4.21 (0.3H, m), 4.16–4.11 (0.3H, m), 4.11–4.06 (0.7H, m), 3.39 (1H, s), 3.25 (1H, s), 2.93–2.82 (0.7H, m), 2.39–2.29 (1.3H, m), 2.23–2.10 (1H, m), 1.98–1.82 (2.7H, m), 1.80–1.69 (1.3H, m), 1.69–1.55 (1H, m), 1.46–1.14 (50H, m), 0.84 (6H, t, J = 7.0 Hz) ppm; HR-ESIMS: Calcd for C43H85NO9Na [M + Na]+ 782.6117; found 782.6119. RCAI-128 (6): Mp 192.0–193.0 °C; [α]D25 − 5.6 (c 0.32, COMPOUND LINKSFootnotes |
| † Electronic Supplementary Information (ESI) available: Detailed procedure for synthesis and bioassay of all of the analogues with their 1H NMR spectra. See DOI: 10.1039/c1md00067e |
| ‡ Synthesis of COMPOUND LINKS Read more about this on ChemSpider Download mol file of compoundsphingosine relatives, Part 33. For Part 32, see ref. 1. |
| This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011 |