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mannose disaccharide (Manα1-2Man), binds to the immune system dendritic
cell receptor DC-SIGN, and exhibits moderate anti-infective action in a Ebola
virus infection model (Reina JJ. et al. ChemMedChem, 2007, 2 , 1030 - 1036).
Multivalent, polymannosylated compounds were shown to bind to the same
receptor and to inhibit its interaction to gp120-coated SPR chips (Rojo et al
FEBS Letters 2006, 580, 2402-2408).
The pseudo-trisaccharide 2a below (R=allyl) was recently designed as a mimic
of the linear mannotrioside α-Man-(1-2)-α-Man-(1-6)-α-Man- by replacing the
central mannose moiety with a carbocyclic diol (Mari, S.; Sanchez-Medina, I.;
Mereghetti, P.; Belvisi, L.; Jimenez-Barbero, J.; Bernardi, A . Carb. Res. 2007,
342, 1859- 1868).
It is the general consensus that the development of efficient, low-cost
microbicides and entry inhibitor molecules that can be applied topically to
prevent sexually transmitted HIV infections should be given high priority.
Mannan is known to inhibit viral uptake in cellular studies (Lin G . et al J. Virol.
2003, 77, 1337-46) but it cannot be used in vivo because it does not cross
mucosal tissues and, as a consequence, it is unlikely to reach its target.
Mannan is also highly cytotoxic and mitogenic, which limits its therapeutic
applications in vivo (Nagase, T. et al. Microbiol. Immunol., 1984, 28, 997-
1007).