Glycomed, Inc.

Robert J Stack

Brian K Brandley

Michael Tiemeyer

David J Tyrrell

Peter Fugedi

Masayuki Ishihara

Robert J Tressler

A novel class of highly sulfated maltooligosaccharide having heparin-like activity is described, as well as methods for using these oligosaccharides to treat certain diseases including cancer, and retinopathies.

Sulfated maltooligosaccharides with heparin-like properties

Separation methodology is disclosed which allows for the separation of mixtures of carbohydrates into highly resolved detectable bands of carbohydrates. The method involves first reacting a mixture of carbohydrates with charge generating moieties which are capable of fluorescing such as 1-amino-4-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANSA) to form carbohydrate conjugates. The conjugates are subjected to a first-dimensional gel electrophoresis in a first direction to provide separate bands of carbohydrates in the gel. A band in the gel is removed and subjected to second-dimensional electrophoresis in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. More specific bands of more highly resolved carbohydrates are then formed in the second-dimensional gel. The more specific bands within the second-dimensional gel are then electro-blotted onto a substrate surface and can be viewed in extremely small amounts due to the fluorescent capability of the ANSA when viewed under ultraviolet light.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic separation of carbohydrates

A method of separating mixtures of saccharides into distinct detectable groups is disclosed. In accordance with the method a tri-functional conjugate must first be provided. The tri-functional conjugate is obtained by reacting a mixture of saccharides with moieties (a) capable of providing a charge upon ionization; (b) capable of fluorescing under ultraviolet light; and (c) having a light-activatable azido group thereon. The different functional moieties may all be present on the same moiety and connected directly to the saccharide or may be connected to each other wherein only one of the moieties is connected directly to the saccharide. The tri-functional conjugates are subjected to electrophoretic separation to obtain separate groups of conjugates in the gel. The groups of conjugates are transferred from the gel to the surface of a membrane which is exposed to light for a sufficient time and light frequency to activate the azido-group. The light-activated azido-groups attached to the surface of the membrane. The tri-functional conjugates can then be contacted with labeled probes such as radiolabeled proteins to determine the affinity of the probes to particular saccharides.

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Alameda, CA, United States of America

Robert J Stack