| Description |
Proteoglycans (PGs), a special class of gly coconjugates, which decorate the outer surface of mammalian cells, consist of a core protein and several glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains. PGs regulate many important biological processes, such as fertilization, cell-cell communication, immune defense, anticoagulation, angiogenesis, axon guidance, and many more. Controlling the fine structures of endogenous GAG chains or modulating expression levels of GAG chains can significantly impact many biological processes. However, very little is known about the factors that regulate PG biosynthesis. In this thesis work, chemical probes were designed and synthesized to understand biosynthetic pathways, structures, and functions of PGs. A library of xylosides with different aglycone groups was synthesized using "click chemistry" to stimulate and inhibit GAG production in vitro. These molecular probes serve as excellent tools to unravel the biological significance of PGs and GAG multivalency in many biological systems and lead to the discovery of drugs to treat human disorders/diseases that are associated with aberrant PG structures. |
