A series of apramycin derivatives was prepared and investigated for antibacterial activity and the ability to inhibit protein synthesis in cell-free translation assays. The effect of various modifications at the 6'- and N7'-positions on antiribosomal activity is discussed in terms of their influence on drug binding to specific residues in the decoding A-site. These studies contribute to the development of a structure-activity relationship for the antibacterial activity of the apramycin class of aminoglycosides and to the future design and development of more active and less toxic antibiotics.

The preparation of a series of four analogues of the aminoglycoside antibiotics neomycin and paromomycin is described in which ring I, involved in critical binding interactions with the ribosomal target, is replaced by an apramycin-like dioxabicyclo[4.4.0]octane system. The effect of this modification is to lock the hydroxymethyl side chain of the neomycin or paromomycin ring I, as part of the dioxabicyclooctane ring, into either the gauche-gauche or the gauche-trans conformation (respectively axial or equatorial to the bicyclic system). The antiribosomal activity of these compounds is investigated with cell-free translation assays using both bacterial ribosomes and recombinant hybrid ribosomes carrying eukaryotic decoding A site cassettes. Compounds substituted with an equatorial hydroxyl or amino group in the newly formed ring are considerably more active than their axial diastereomers, lending strong support to crystallographically-derived models of aminoglycoside-ribosome interactions. One such bicyclic compound carrying an equatorial hydroxyl group has activity equal to that of the parent, yet displays better ribosomal selectivity, predictive of an enhanced therapeutic index. A paromomycin analog lacking the hydroxymethyl ring I side chain is considerably less active than the parent. Antibacterial activity against model Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria is reported, for selected compounds, as is activity against ESKAPE pathogens and recombinant bacteria carrying specific resistance determinants. Analogues with a bicyclic ring I carrying equatorial amino or hydroxyl groups mimicking the bound side chains of neomycin and paromomcyin, respectively, show excellent activity and, by virtue of their novel structure, retain this activity in strains that are insensitive to the parent compounds.

The preparation of a crystalline, peracetyl adamantanyl thiosialoside donor protected by an isothiocyanate group is described. On activation at -78 C in the presence of typical carbohydrate acceptors this donor gives high yields of the corresponding sialosides with exquisite α-selectivity. The high selectivity extends to the 4-O-benzyl-protected 3-OH acceptors that are typically less reactive and selective than galactose 3,4-diols. Treatment of the α-sialosides with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane or allyltris(trimethylsilyl)silane sialosides replaces the C5-N5 bond by a C-H or a C-C bond. Reaction of the isothiocyanate-protected sialosides with thioacids achieves conversion into amides. Reaction of the isothiocyanate with an amine gives a thiourea, which can be converted to a guanidine. The very high α-selectivities observed with the new donor and the rich chemistry of the isothiocyante function considerably extend the scope for optimization at the sialoside 5-position.

Events mediated by the P-selectin/PSGL-1 pathway play a critical role in the initiation and propagation of venous thrombosis by facilitating the accumulation of leukocytes and platelets within the growing thrombus. Activated platelets and endothelium both express P-selectin, which binds PSGL-1 expressed on the surface of all leukocytes. We developed a pegylated glycomimetic of the N-terminus of PSGL-1, PEG40-GSnP-6 (P-G6), which proved to be a highly potent P-selectin inhibitor with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for clinical translation. P-G6 inhibits human and mouse platelet-monocyte and platelet-neutrophil aggregation in vitro and blocks microcirculatory platelet-leukocyte interactions in vivo. Administration of P-G6 reduces thrombus formation in a non-occlusive model of deep vein thrombosis with a commensurate reduction in leukocyte accumulation, but without disruption of hemostasis. P-G6 potently inhibits the P-selectin/PSGL-1 pathway and represents a promising drug candidate for the prevention of venous thrombosis without increased bleeding risk.