A series of calixarenes substituted with 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose linked by a thiourea spacer was prepared and tested for binding activity to heterogeneously expressed activation receptors of the rat natural killer cells NKR-P1, and the receptor CD69 (human NK cells, macrophages). In the case of NKR-P1, the binding affinity of beta-D-GlcNAc-substituted calixarenes carrying two or four sugar units was in a good agreement with the inhibitory potencies of the linear chitooligomers (chitobiose to chitotetraose) reported previously. The influence of GlcNAc substitution of the calixarene skeleton on binding affinity for CD69 receptor was more profound and the 5,11,17,23-tetrakis[N-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-thioureido]-25,26,27,28-tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene (cone) (1) proved to be the best CD69 ligand identified to date.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlyco-coat changes on cancer cells due to aberrant glycosylation are potential targets for immune recognition through lectin-like receptors on immune cells. These cells include natural killer (NK), CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes, all reported to have, together with cytokines, important functions in antitumor immunity. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible role of synthetic monodisperse multivalent neo-glycoconjugates, namely glycodendrimers, as a new approach to anticancer immune modulation through carbohydrate-mediated immune recognition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe involvement of catecholamine receptors (alpha-adrenergic, D2-dopamine (DA)) was investigated in restraint stress influenced immune responses with concomitant changes of G-protein signal transduction. Impairment of the spleen morphology, TH1/TH2 cytokine network and natural killer (NK) cell function was observed. In vivo administration of specific antagonists prior to restraint stress reversed the immunosuppression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF