Download MendeleyStructural and Biophysical Characterization of C-Glycosylic 1,2-Thiodisaccharides Reveals Determinants of Selective Binding to Galectin-7 and Galectin-8N.
Tsagkarakou, A.S., Kantsadi, A.L., Theodoridou, V.I., Veliotis, N., Lazar, L., Jozsef, J., Juhasz, L., Kontopidis, G., Leffler, H., Nilsson, U.J., Somsak, L., Leonidas, D.D.(2026) ChemMedChem 21: e70439-e70439
- PubMed: 42603778 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.70439
- Primary Citation Related Structures:
31NP, 31NV, 31NW - PubMed Abstract:
Achieving isoform selectivity within the galectin family remains a central challenge in glycomimetic drug design due to the highly conserved architecture of their carbohydrate recognition domains. Here, we define the structural and thermodynamic basis of recognition of a series of C-glycosylic 1,2-thiodisaccharides targeting human galectin-7 and the N-terminal domain of galectin-8 (galectin-8N). Using an integrated approach combining fluorescence polarization, isothermal titration calorimetry, and high-resolution X-Ray crystallography, we establish a clear structure-activity relationship across the ligand series. Compound 17 emerges as the most potent galectin-8N ligand (K d = 13 μM), outperforming thiodigalactoside, while compound 13 shows preferential binding to galectin-7, demonstrating tunable isoform bias. Structural analysis reveals a conserved anchoring mechanism in which the β-galactoside unit (Gly-1) drives affinity through a rigid hydrogen-bonding and π-stacking network, whereas the second sugar (Gly-2) modulates potency by adopting distinct orientations in galectin-specific extended binding sites. Notably, ligand binding converges on conserved motifs while leaving nonconserved regions unexploited, highlighting clear opportunities for structure-guided optimization. Collectively, this work establishes C-glycosylic thiodisaccharides as a robust platform for selective galectin targeting and provides actionable design principles for next-generation inhibitors.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Organizational Affiliation:
