Science and Research

Synthetic glycan-based TLR4 agonists targeting caspase-4/11 for the development of adjuvants and immunotherapeutics

Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mediated pro-inflammatory signaling plays a key role in immunoprotection against infectious challenges and boosts adaptive immunity, whereas the activation of the cytosolic LPS receptor caspase-4/11 leads to cell death by pyroptosis and is deeply implicated in the development of sepsis. Despite tremendous advances in the understanding of the LPS-TLR4 interaction, predictably regulated TLR4 activation has not yet been achieved. The structural basis for the induction of caspase-4/11 protease activity by LPS is currently unknown. The modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses through the controlled induction of TLR4 signaling without triggering caspase-4/11 activity would open novel perspectives in the development of safe vaccine adjuvants and immunotherapeutics. We report the discovery of highly potent glycan-based immunostimulants with picomolar affinity for TLR4 which interact with caspase-4/11 and promote caspase-4/11 oligomerization while abolishing caspase-11 protease activity. The rigidity and twisted molecular shape of the alpha,alpha-(1<-->1')-linked disaccharide core of synthetic LPS mimicking anionic glycolipids accounted for both species-independent and adjustable TLR4-mediated NF-kappaB signaling and the modulation of caspase-4/11 activation. By the use of crystal structure based design and advanced synthetic chemistry we created a set of versatile probes for studying the structural basis of caspase-4/11 activation and established a chemical strategy for controllable TLR4 mediated cytokine release which is dissociable from the induction of caspase-11 protease activity.

  • Adanitsch, F.
  • Shi, J.
  • Shao, F.
  • Beyaert, R.
  • Heine, H.
  • Zamyatina, A.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1039/c7sc05323a
Journal: Chemical science
Pages: 3957-3963 
Number: 16
Work Type: Original
Location: ARCN
Disease Area: PALI
Partner / Member: FZB
Access-Number: 29780528
See publication on PubMed

DZL Engagements

chevron-down