Three sequential efficient glycosylation reactions starting from D‐glucosamine were used in the first total synthesis of Escherichia coli Re lipopolysaccharide, which is one of the most simple lipopolysaccharides found on the surface of living bacteria.

Drei aufeinander folgende effiziente Glycosylierungen ausgehend von D‐Glucosamin sind Teil der ersten Totalsynthese des Re‐Typ‐Lipopolysaccharids aus Escherichia coli, eines der einfachsten Lipopolysaccharide, die auf der Oberfläche lebender Bakterien nachgewiesen wurden.

Our early work using homogeneous synthetic preparations demonstrated the presence of a lipid A analog which antagonizes endotoxic activities of LPS and lipid A. The first example was a tetraacylated biosynthetic precursor, now known as precursor Ia or lipid IVa, that contains four 3-hydroxytetradecanoyl moieties linked to the bisphosphorylated disaccharide backbone common to the endotoxic hexa-acyl Escherichia coli lipid A. Various compounds with both endotoxic and antagonistic activities have subsequently been reported from either natural or synthetic sources, but little is known about the factors determining the type of the activities of the respective compounds. To approach this issue, we have synthesized a series of lipid A analogs with various numbers and chain lengths of acyl groups on the backbone. Some were prepared by the aid of a novel affinity separation procedure. The phosphate moieties were also synthetically replaced. Biological tests showed that at least three acyl groups are required for antagonistic activity but one or even both of the phosphates can be replaced with other acidic moieties without losing the activity. The effect of Kdo residues linked to lipid A is also briefly discussed. Molecular dynamics calculations reasonably explain possible conformations required for the biological activity.

Both endotoxic and antagonistic [3H]-labeled 2-(phosphonooxy)ethyl (PE) analogs of lipid A were synthesized with high purity and high specific radioactivity. Lipid A-binding proteins were detected by using the endotoxic analog of hexaacyl Escherichia  coli-type designated [3H] PE-506. The plasma membrane fractions from peritoneal macrophages derived from LPS-responder C3H/HeN mice and LPS-hyporesponder C3H/HeJ mice were separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes. The membranes were then incubated with the [3H] PE-506. Several [3H] PE-506 binding proteins were detected in both C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ macrophages. Unlabeled hexaacyl lipid A inhibited the interaction between [3H] PE-506 and these proteins. The result suggests that there exist multiple binding sites for lipid A on macrophages. LPS-induced change in the profile of the cell surface lipid A binding proteins was observed in C3H/HeN macrophages, but not in C3H/HeJ macrophages, by preincubation of macrophages with LPS.

The detailed conformational analysis of a single molecule of the tetraacyl biosynthetic precursor-type lipid A and its characteristic supramolecular assembly in aqueous SDS-micelles are described. Regular molecular arrangements were observed by detailed analysis of the NMR spectra of synthetically pure specimens, including regiospecifically 13C-labeled ones. NMR analysis of a biologically inactive precursor-type analogue with four shorter acyl chains demonstrated its conformational flexibility, indicating the importance of hydrophobic interactions for maintaining the conformation of such molecules.