Multivalent Fucosides Targeting β-Propeller Lectins from Lung Pathogens with Promising Anti-Adhesive Properties.

Fungal and bacterial pathogens causing lung infections often use lectins to mediate adhesion to glycoconjugates at the surface of host tissues. Given the rapid emergence of resistance to the treatments in current use, β-propeller lectins such as FleA from , SapL1 from and BambL from have become appealing targets for the design of anti-adhesive agents. In search of novel and cheap anti-infectious agents, we synthesized multivalent compounds that can display up to 20 units of fucose, the natural ligand.

Novel Treatment Approach for Aspergilloses by Targeting Germination.

Germination of conidia is an essential process within the life cycle and plays a major role during the infection of hosts. Conidia are able to avoid detection by the majority of leukocytes when dormant. Germination can cause severe health problems, specifically in immunocompromised people.

Preventing Influenza A Virus Infection by Mixed Inhibition of Neuraminidase and Hemagglutinin by Divalent Inhibitors.

Divalent inhibitors of the neuraminidase enzyme (NA) of the Influenza A virus were synthesized with vastly different spacers. The spacers varied from 14 to 56 atoms and were relatively rigid by way of the building blocks and their connection by CuAAC. As the ligand for these constructs, a Δ-β-d-glucoronide was used, which can be prepared form -acetyl glucosamine.

Stereoselective Protection-Free Modification of 3-Keto-saccharides.

Unprotected 3-keto-saccharides have become readily accessible via site-selective oxidation, but their protection-free functionalization is relatively unexplored. Here we show that protecting groups are obsolete in a variety of stereoselective modifications of our model substrate methyl α-glucopyranoside. This allows the preparation of rare sugars and the installation of click handles and reactive groups.

Optical control of GPR40 signalling in pancreatic β-cells.

Fatty acids activate GPR40 and K channels to modulate β-cell function. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of , a light-controllable GPR40 agonist based on Gw-9508. is a potent GPR40 agonist in the -configuration and can be inactivated on isomerization to with UV-A light.