The core structure of pentaerythritol has been used as a replacement for
one or both sugars in lipid A, leading to the generation of a series of
lipid A analogs. These lipid A analogs may further differ from lipid A
with respect to, e.g., the number, nature and location of negatively
charged groups, and the number, nature and location of the lipid chains.
The lipid A analogs may be lipid A agonists useful as immunostimulatory
agents, or lipid A antagonists useful in the treatment of septic shock.
In a like manner, a residue of pentaerythritylamine may be used as a
replacement for an amino sugar residue in a carbohydrate ligand having a
biological activity of interest, generating a series of ligand analogs.
These are useful, e.g., as haptens, inhibitors of bacterial-host cell
adhesion, etc.