Semisynthesis of Chondroitin Sulfate Oligosaccharides Based on the Enzymatic Degradation of Chondroitin.

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a structurally complex polyanionic glycosaminoglycan that plays essential roles in physiological processes. Here we report a facile approach to a library of CS tetra- and hexasaccharides based on the enzymatic degradation of chondroitin over 10 or 11 steps, which is the shortest synthetic route toward size-defined CS oligosaccharides reported to date. Subsequent biotinylation enabled the investigation of their interactions with growth factors, filling in the gaps of the existing research, and providing probes for further exploration of the biological functions of CS.