Synthesis of 6-O-Mycoloyl-Nacetylmuramyl-l-alanyl-d-isoglutamine with Antitumor Activity

Abstract
N-Acetylmuramyl-l-alanyl-d-isoglutamine corresponding to the minimum structure responsible for the immunoadjuvant activity of bacterial cell walls was acylated at the 6-hydroxyl group with various mycolic acids of long carbon chains in order to test their possible antitumor effects. Mycolic acids used were extracted from cell walls of Mycobacterium, Nocardia, and Corynebacterium. All the mycoloyl derivatives synthesized show antitumor activity based on a principle of immunotherapy.