A Lysoganglioside/Poly-L-glutamic Acid Conjugate as a Picomolar Inhibitor of Influenza Hemagglutinin

Hiroshi Kamitakahara; Takashi Suzuki; Noriko Nishigori; Yasuo Suzuki; Osamu Kanie; Chi-Huey Wong

doi:10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19980619)37:11<1524::AID-ANIE1524>3.0.CO;2-D

A Lysoganglioside/Poly-L-glutamic Acid Conjugate as a Picomolar Inhibitor of Influenza Hemagglutinin

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 1998 Jun 19;37(11):1524-1528. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19980619)37:11<1524::AID-ANIE1524>3.0.CO;2-D.

Authors

Hiroshi Kamitakahara¹, Takashi Suzuki², Noriko Nishigori², Yasuo Suzuki², Osamu Kanie¹, Chi-Huey Wong¹

Affiliations

¹ Frontier Research Program, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-01 (Japan), Fax: (+81) 48-467-3620.
² Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Shizuoka (Japan).

Abstract

Based on the principle of a multivalent interaction, the amphiphilic polymer 1, present in solution as an aggregate (see below right), is able to inhibit infection with the influenza virus. After recognition of a specific sialyllactose epitope through hemaglutinin (HA) on the virus surface, the sphingosine residues and the fluorescent tag form a stable complex with HA through hydrophobic interactions. Polymer 1 shows in vitro inhibitory activity 10⁶ -fold greater than that of sialyllactose. PGA=polyglutamic acid.

Keywords: Amphiphiles; Gangliosides; Molecular recognition; Receptors; Sialic acids.