Effect of aglycon structure on saccharide elongation by cells.

Alkyl N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (GlcNAc primers) with different aglycon moieties were synthesized and used to determine the effect of the aglycon structure on cellular saccharide elongation. Dodecyl N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (GlcNAc-C12), tridecan-7-yl N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (GlcNAc-2C6), and pentacosan-13-yl N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (GlcNAc-2C12) primers were synthesized by glycosylation of dodecan-1-ol, tridecan-7-ol, and pentacosan-13-ol, respectively, with peracetylglucosamine. These primers were introduced to mouse B16 melanoma cells to prepare glycolipids. After 48 h incubation, results showed that GlcNAc-C12 was elongated to give NeuAc-Gal-GlcNAc-C12. GlcNAc-2C6 was also elongated to afford Gal-GlcNAc-2C6 and NeuAc-Gal-GlcNAc-2C6. On the other hand, GlcNAc-2C12 primer was not elongated. Significantly, the results demonstrated that the amount of glycosylated product increased 1.5-times by modifying the aglycon structure of GlcNAc from C12 to 2 C6 despite having almost the same number of C-units.