CELL TARGETING BY GLYCOSIDIC TELOMERS - SPECIFIC RECOGNITION OF THE KB CWL1 LECTIN BY GALACTOSYLATED TELOMERS

This work deals with the synthesis and lectinic recognition ability of galactosylated telomers. To investigate if telomeric carriers could e xhibit cellular recognition properties, we have synthesized mono-and p olygalactosylated tris(hydroxymethyl)acrylamidomethane (THAM) telomers . The affinity of such macromolecular drug carriers toward a receptor, the yeast Kb CWL1 lectin, was defined, and the influence of mono- or polygalactosylation of THAM units on the recognition phenomenon was as sessed. The lectinic affinity of the compounds was estimated by measur ing the inhibition of yeast aggregation. The average degree of polymer ization as well as the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of such galactos ylated telomers affects their recognition ability for the lectin.