Design of Trehalose-Based Amide/Sulfonamide C-type Lectin Receptor Signaling Compounds

Mincle agonists have been shown to induce inflammatory cytokine production, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and promote the development of a Th1/Th17 immune response that might be crucial to development of effective vaccination against pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As an expansion of our previous work, a library of 6,6′-amide and sulfonamide α,α-d -trehalose compounds with various substituents on the aromatic ring was synthesized efficiently in good to excellent yields. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to activate the human C-type lectin receptor Mincle by the induction of cytokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A preliminary structure–activity relationship (SAR) of these novel trehalose diamides and sulfonamides revealed that aryl amide-linked trehalose compounds demonstrated improved activity and relatively high potency cytokine production compared to the Mincle ligand trehalose dibehenate adjuvant (TDB) and the natural ligand trehalose dimycolate (TDM) inducing dose-dependent and human-Mincle-specific stimulation in a HEK reporter cell line.     

A Simple Glycolipid Mimic of the Phosphatidylinositol Mannoside Core from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Inhibits Macrophage Cytokine Production

Glycolipids from Mycobacterium tuberculosis have a profound impact on the innate immune response of the host. Macrophage‐inducible C‐type lectin (Mincle) is a pattern‐recognition receptor that has been shown to bind trehalose dimycolate (TDM) from the mycobacterium and instigate intracellular signalling in the immune cell. There are structural similarities between the structures of TDM and phosphatidyl inositol mannoside (PIM). We thus hypothesized that these latter structures might also modulate an immune response in a similar manner. To test this, we synthesized a series of new mannose derivatives modified with fatty esters at the 6‐position and assessed the release of inflammatory cytokines in human U937 macrophages under the induction of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) after glycolipid treatment. The results showed that the amount of two major cytokines—tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interleukin (IL)‐6—released from LPS‐stimulated U937 cells decreased significantly when compared to a control upon treatment with the prepared glycolipids, thus indicating a reduction in cytokine production by the macrophages.     

On One Leg: Trehalose Monoesters Activate Macrophages in a Mincle‐Dependent Manner

The C₂₂ and C₂₆ trehalose monoesters, each containing a single acyl chain, were synthesised in good overall yields and found to activate macrophages in a Mincle‐dependent manner. The activities of the monoesters paralleled those of their diester counterparts, and both mono‐ and diesters could activate the immune response in the absence of priming. This is the first time that trehalose monoesters have been found to activate macrophages, and these studies thus provide an important framework for the rational design of other Mincle agonists.     

The Uptake of Trehalose Glycolipids by Macrophages Is Independent of Mincle

Trehalose glycolipids play an important role in the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and are used as adjuvants for vaccines; however, much still remains unanswered about the mechanisms through which these glycolipids exert their immunomodulatory potential. Recently, the macrophage‐inducible C‐type lectin Mincle was determined to be the receptor for trehalose glycolipids, yet the role played by Mincle in glycolipid uptake is unknown. Accordingly, we developed several fluorescent trehalose glycolipid reporter systems that can be used to study the uptake of soluble trehalose glycolipids and glycolipid‐coated particles by macrophages. Our studies revealed that, although Mincle is essential for the activation of macrophages by trehalose glycolipids, the receptor does not play a role in the uptake of these glycolipids or of glycolipid‐coated particles.     

Mincle受体蛋白克隆、原核表达与纯化

本研究通过应用基因工程技术,构建融合基因pET14b-Mincle的原核表达载体,并将其转化到大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中诱导表达目的蛋白Mincle,并对其表达产物进行纯化、鉴定、透析复性。采用RT-PCR技术扩增小鼠Mincle的基因片段,将其克隆于载体pMD18-T中,并克隆到带有His-tag的原核表达载体pET14b中;重组质粒经酶切鉴定、序列比对验证正确后转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中经IPTG诱导表达目的蛋白。经1mmol/LIPTG在37℃下诱导5h获得了分子量约为22kDa的重组融合蛋白的优化表达,SDS-PAGE、Western Blot和ELISA证实了重组蛋白的特异性。Mincle以包涵体形式在宿主中表达,利用Ni2+亲和柱进行纯化和生物膜透析复性,纯化和透析后的蛋白经WesternBlot、ELISA法定性鉴别以及用白色念珠菌(SC5314)整个灭活细胞对复性后蛋白的活性测定,透析后的Mincle重组融合蛋白能与白色念珠菌的特异性结合体现其生物活性,表明获得了具有活性的蛋白,为后续研究打下基础。