Inhibition of Clostridium difficile TcdA and TcdB toxins with transition state analogues

Clostridium difficile causes life-threatening diarrhea and is the leading cause of healthcare-associated bacterial infections in the United States. TcdA and TcdB bacterial toxins are primary determinants of disease pathogenesis and are attractive therapeutic targets. TcdA and TcdB contain domains that use UDP-glucose to glucosylate and inactivate host Rho GTPases, resulting in cytoskeletal changes causing cell rounding and loss of intestinal integrity. Transition state analysis revealed glucocationic character for the TcdA and TcdB transition states. We identified transition state analogue inhibitors and characterized them by kinetic, thermodynamic and structural analysis. Iminosugars, isofagomine and noeuromycin mimic the transition state and inhibit both TcdA and TcdB by forming ternary complexes with Tcd and UDP, a product of the TcdA- and TcdB-catalyzed reactions. Both iminosugars prevent TcdA- and TcdB-induced cytotoxicity in cultured mammalian cells by preventing glucosylation of Rho GTPases. Iminosugar transition state analogues of the Tcd toxins show potential as therapeutics for C. difficile pathology.

Polyvalent transition-state analogues of sialyl substrates strongly inhibit bacterial sialidases.

<div>Conjugation of the transitionstate-cation analogue DANA to polymeric scaffolds led to highly potent inhibitors of bacterial sialidases. Each clustered DANA on the polymers saw its inhibitory potency for S. pneumoniae or B. thetaiotaomicron sialidases improved by more than four orders of magnitude. This extends the multivalent concept to this important class of enzymes.</div><div><br></div>

Polyvalent transition-state analogues of sialyl substrates strongly inhibit bacterial sialidases.

<div>Conjugation of the transitionstate-cation analogue DANA to polymeric scaffolds led to highly potent inhibitors of bacterial sialidases. Each clustered DANA on the polymers saw its inhibitory potency for S. pneumoniae or B. thetaiotaomicron sialidases improved by more than four orders of magnitude. This extends the multivalent concept to this important class of enzymes.</div><div><br></div>

Synthesis of C-glycosyl phosphonate derivatives of 4-amino-4-deoxy-α-ʟ-arabinose

The incorporation of basic substituents into the structurally conserved domains of cell wall lipopolysaccharides has been identified as a major mechanism contributing to antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Inhibition of the corresponding enzymatic steps, specifically the transfer of 4-amino-4-deoxy-ʟ-arabinose, would thus restore the activity of cationic antimicrobial peptides and several antimicrobial drugs. C-glycosidically-linked phospholipid derivatives of 4-amino-4-deoxy-ʟ-arabinose have been prepared as hydrolytically stable and chain-shortened analogues of the native undecaprenyl donor. The C-phosphonate unit was installed via a Wittig reaction of benzyl-protected 1,5-arabinonic acid lactone with the lithium salt of dimethyl methylphosphonate followed by an elimination step of the resulting hemiketal, leading to the corresponding exo- and endo-glycal derivatives. The ensuing selective monodemethylation and hydrogenolysis of the benzyl groups and reduction of the 4-azido group gave the α-ʟ-anomeric arabino- and ribo-configured methyl phosphonate esters. In addition, the monomethyl phosphonate glycal intermediates were converted into n-octyl derivatives followed by subsequent selective removal of the methyl phosphonate ester group and hydrogenation to give the octylphosphono derivatives. These intermediates will be of value for their future conversion into transition state analogues as well as for the introduction of various lipid extensions at the anomeric phosphonate moiety.

Synthesis of C-glycosyl phosphonate derivatives of 4-amino-4-deoxy-α-L-arabinose

Incorporation of basic substituents into the structurally conserved domains of cell-wall lipopolysaccharides has been identified as a major mechanism contributing to antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Inhibition of the corresponding enzymatic steps, specifically the transfer of 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose would thus restore the activity of cationic antimicrobial peptides and several antimicrobial drugs. C-glycosidically linked phospholipid derivatives of 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose have been prepared as hydrolytically stable and chain-shortened analogues of the native undecaprenyldonor. The C-phosphonate unit was installed via a Wittig-type reaction of benzyl-protected 1,5-arabinonic acid lactone with the lithium salt of dimethyl methylphosphonate followed by an elimination step of the resulting hemiketal leading to the corresponding exo- and endo-glycal derivatives. The ensuing selective mono-demethylation and hydrogenolysis of the benzyl groups and reduction of the 4-azido group gave the α-L-anomeric arabino- and ribo-configured methyl phosphonate esters. In addition, the monomethyl phosphonate glycal intermediates were converted into n-octyl derivatives followed by subsequent selective removal of the methyl phosphonate ester group and hydrogenation to give the octyl-phosphono derivatives. These intermediates thus will be of value for future conversion into transition state analogues as well as for introduction of various lipid extensions at the anomeric phosphonate moiety.