Sulfated Alkyl Glucopyranans with Potent Antiviral Activity Synthesized by Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Anhydroglucose and Alkyl Anhydroglucose Monomers

Sulfated glucopyranans having long alkyl groups were prepared by the ring-opening copolymerization of benzylated 1,6-anhydroglucopyranose with 3-O-octadecyl 1,6-anhydro-beta-D-glucopyranose monomers, and subsequent deprotection and sulfation. Water-soluble sulfated glucopyranans with 2.8 and 4.7 mol% of 3-O-octadecyl group and lower molecular weight of (M-n) over bar = 2.5 x 10(3) -5.1 x 10(3) have potent anti-HIV activity at 0.05-1.25 mu g/mL, even though sulfated polysaccharides with molecular weights below (M-n) over bar = 6 x 10(3) had low anti-HIV activity. The interaction with poly-l-lysine as a model compound of proteins was analyzed by SPR, DSL, and zeta potential, indicating that the sulfated 3-O-octadecyl glucopyranans had high association and low dissociation rate constants, and the particle size increased after addition of poly-l-lysine. The anti-HIV activity was induced by electrostatic interaction between sulfate groups and amino groups of poly-l-lysine and by the synergistic effect of the hydrophobic long alkyl chain and hydrophilic sulfated group.