2011 Volume 23 Issue 129 Pages 14-32
Sialic acids (Neu5Ac, 1) are involved in many biological functions of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and cells. Sialidases are a family of glycosidases that catalyze the removal of α-glycosidically linked sialic acid residues from carbohydrate groups of glycoconjugates. Among the compounds related to the sialic acid family, 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acids (Neu5Ac2en, 2) are known to inhibit sialidases. Human parainfluenza viruses are important respiratory tract pathogens, particularly in children. However, no vaccines or specific therapies for infections caused by these viruses are currently available. This article reviews our progress and current trends of the modification of 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro sialic acid analogs and biological evaluations of their inhibitory activities against human parainfluenza virus type 1 (hPIV-1) sialidases.
