Using activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), functional proteins can be interrogated in their native environment. Despite their pharmaceutical relevance, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been difficult to address through ABPP. In the current study, we took the prototypical human adenosine A2A receptor (hA2AR) as the starting point for the construction of a chemical toolbox allowing two-step affinity-based labeling of GPCRs. First, we equipped an irreversibly binding hA2AR ligand with a terminal alkyne to serve as probe. We showed that our probe irreversibly and concentration-dependently labeled purified hA2AR. Click-ligation with a sulfonated cyanine-3 fluorophore allowed us to visualize the receptor on SDS-PAGE. We further demonstrated that labeling of the purified hA2AR by our probe could be inhibited by selective antagonists. Lastly, we showed successful labeling of the receptor in cell membranes overexpressing hA2AR, making our probe a promising affinity-based tool compound that sets the stage for the further development of probes for GPCRs.

This review describes the developments in the synthesis of teichoic acids (TA) - glycosylated poly(alditolphosphates) - and the application of these fragments in immunological studies. These structurally diverse biopolymers are omnipresent constituents of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall where they fulfill a variety of vital functions. They have been and continue to be attractive synthetic targets because of their challenging structures and the fact that their microheterogeneity precludes their isolation in single and pure enough form from natural sources. Progress in glycosylation chemistry and the development of effective phosphorylation chemistry has driven TA synthesis over the years, and highly complex and large TA structures can now reliably be targeted. Starting from the first TA synthesis in 1981, this review highlights the progress made in the field over the years. The synthesized TA fragments have been used to unravel their role in immunology and it is described how focused libraries of TAs have been used to discover the active principles of the TA polymers that interact with the innate immune system. Recently, synthetic TA fragments have also found applications as well-defined synthetic antigens for the generation of novel vaccine modalities to combat Gram-positive bacterial infections. It is foreseen that synthetic TA fragments will be valuable tools in the future to unravel the mode of action of these biomolecules at the molecular level. They will be instrumental in discovering and characterizing their designated biological binding partners, be it pattern recognition receptors or carbohydrate binding lectins or biomachinery enzymes. This review thus serves to showcase the potential of organic synthesis for (chemical) biology and immunology.

Covalently acting inhibitors constitute a large and growing fraction of approved small-molecule therapeutics as well as useful tools for a variety of in vitro and in vivo applications. Here, we aimed to develop a covalent antagonist of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a class A GPCR that has been pursued as a therapeutic target in inflammation and immuno-oncology. Based on a known intracellularly binding CCR2 antagonist, several covalent derivatives were synthesized and characterized by radioligand binding and functional assays. These studies revealed compound 14 as an intracellular covalent ligand for CCR2. In silico modeling followed by site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that 14 forms a covalent bond with one of three proximal cysteine residues, which can be engaged interchangeably. To our knowledge, compound 14 represents the first covalent ligand reported for CCR2. Due to its unique properties, it may represent a promising tool for ongoing and future studies of CCR2 pharmacology.

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