This work reveals new structural relationships in the complex process of the interaction between activation receptors of natural killer cells (rat NKR-P1, human CD69) and novel bivalent carbohydrate glycomimetics. The length, glycosylation pattern and linker structure of receptor ligands were examined with respect to their ability to precipitate the receptor protein from solution, which simulates the in vivo process of receptor aggregation during NK cell activation. It was found that di-LacdiNAc triazole compounds show optimal performance, reaching up to 100% precipitation of the present protein receptors, and achieving high immunostimulatory activities without any tendency to trigger activation-induced apoptosis. In the synthesis of the compounds tested, two enzymatic approaches were applied. Whereas a β-N-acetylhexosaminidase could only glycosylate one of the two acceptor sites available with yields below 10%, the Y284L mutant of human placental β1,4-galactosyltransferase-1 worked as a perfect synthetic tool, accomplishing even quantitative glycosylation at both acceptor sites and with absolute regioselectivity for the C-4 position. This work insinuates new directions for further ligand structure optimisation and demonstrates the strong synthetic potential of the mutant human placental β1,4-galactosyltransferase-1 in the synthesis of multivalent glycomimetics and glycomaterials.

• MeSH
• Lymphocyte Activation drug effects   immunology   MeSH
• beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases metabolism   MeSH
• Biomimetics methods   MeSH
• Killer Cells, Natural chemistry   drug effects   immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Antigens, CD immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Galactosyltransferases genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Immunoprecipitation MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Lectins, C-Type agonists   immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Ligands MeSH
• Molecular Mimicry MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Placenta enzymology   MeSH
• Polysaccharides chemical synthesis   pharmacology   MeSH
• Receptors, Natural Killer Cell agonists   immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Recombinant Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Protein Binding drug effects   immunology   MeSH
• Binding Sites drug effects   immunology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH