Synthesis of Glycosphingolipids (GSLs)

Glycosphingolipids are a diverse family of biologically important glycolipids. They are directly involved in various molecular recognition events. Besides variations on the lipid component, more than 300 naturally occurring glycosphingolipid glycans have been identified. However, only a limited number of glycosphingolipids has been synthesized so far. Most of these compounds are produced by chemical synthetic approaches. Several enzymatic and chemoenzymatic approaches have been recently developed for the synthesis of these important glycoconjugates. Most recently, highly efficient one-pot multienzyme (OPME) systems have been combined with facile C18-cartridge-based purification schemes for high-yield and cost-effective production of glycosphingolipids. Glycosphingolipid structures that have been synthesized and the different strategies applied are summarized here. Future efforts are needed to expand the repertoire of synthetic glycosphingolipids, not only to provide standards and probes for research, but also to facilitate the development of potential glycosphingolipid-based diagnostics and therapeutics.