Synthesis of glycosylated amino acids by click chemistry as potential inhibitors of galectins-1 and -3

• Grant number: 12/13983-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Vanessa Leiria Campo
• Grantee: Marcelo Fiori Marchiori
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Carbohydrates and glycoconjugates are involved in a series of physiological and pathological events, such as tissue growth, adhesion and metastasis, and infection by viruses and bacteria, which justify the chemical-biological investigation of these molecules. Proteins that specifically bind to carbohydrates in a reversibly and specific mode are denominated lectins, being also known as glycan-binding proteins. Among the various classes of lectins are the galectins, which possess carbohydrate recognition domains (CRD) containing approximately 130 amino acid residues, and are able to bind to ²-galactose molecules of glycoconjugates. The galectins, particularly subtypes -1 and -3, are over-expressed in several types of tumor cells and are involved in important functions related to cancer, such as tumorigenesis, neoplastic transformation, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis and apoptosis regulation. Thus, the aim of this work is the synthesis of glycosylated amino acids by "click chemistry" reactions as potential inhibitors of galectins-1 and -3, with a view to developing new therapeutic strategies to combat different types of cancer.(AU)