1. Three protected tetrapeptides
E Fenude, G Casalone Acta Crystallogr C. 1996 Apr 15;52 ( Pt 4):973-8. doi: 10.1107/s0108270195013345.
The structures of three protected tetrapeptides, containing the Boc-Gly-Gly-Phe-X-OMe chain, tert-butoxycarbonyl-glycy-glycl-phenylalanine-leucine methyl ester dihydrate, Boc-Gly-Gly-L-Phe-D-Leu-OMe, C25H38N4O7.2H2O, tert-butoxycarbonyl-glycy-glycl-phenylalanine-methionine methyl ester dihydrate, Boc-Gly-Gly-L-Phe-D-Met-OMe, C24H36N4O7S.2H2O and tert-butoxycarbonyl-glycy-glycl-phenylalanine-norleucine methyl ester dihydrate, Boc-Gly-Gly-D-Phe-L-Nle-OMe, C25H38N4O7.2H2O, are described. The three molecules have the same conformation on the tetrapeptide chain and display the same packing, consisting of couples of molecules linked head-to-tail by two hydrogen (N--H...O) bonds; other hydrogen bonds, also involving two water molecules of crystallization, link these couples together and give rise to a planar structure.
2. Synthesis and antinociceptive activity of [D-Met2, Pro5] enkephalin [N1,5-beta-D-2,3,4,6-O-tetraacetylglycosyl]--amide and [D-Met2, Pro5] enkephalinamide
H Lin, S Shah, I K Reddy, B C Yoburn, S W Zito Drug Des Discov. 1997 Aug;15(2):83-94.
Tetra-O-acetylgalactopyranosylamine and tetra-O-acetylglucopyranosylamine of D-Met2, Pro5 enkephalin were designed and synthesized to enhance their membrane penetration, biological activity and resistance to proteolytic hydrolysis. Three approaches to the synthesis were attempted, which lead to a new synthetic scheme with a higher yield and enhanced ease of purification. The improved procedure involved attaching the tetra-O-acetylglycopyranosylamine to a t-Boc-Gly-Phe-Pro-OH peptide, removing the t-Boc, and condensing it with t-Boc-Tyr-D-Met-OH. Biological evaluation in vivo showed that these acetylglycopyranosylamine derivatives bind to mu and delta opioid receptors in homogenate binding assays and possess analgesic activity. The analgesic potency was less than that of the parent compound D-Met2, Pro5 enkephalin. These acetylglycopyranosylamine derivatives showed enhanced lipophilicity compared to their parent compound by a partition coefficient study and they also showed greater membrane permeability, using the rabbit cornea as a model system. These derivatives also are resistant to hydrolytic enzymes as compared to the endogenous met-enkephalin when evaluated in homogenized iris-ciliary body and aqueous humor from rabbit eyes.
3. Cyclic cholecystokinin analogues with high selectivity for central receptors
B Charpentier, D Pelaprat, C Durieux, A Dor, M Reibaud, J C Blanchard, B P Roques Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Mar;85(6):1968-72. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.6.1968.
Taking as a model the N-terminal folding of the cholecystokinin tyrosine-sulfated octapeptide [CCK-8; Asp-Tyr(SO3H)-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2] deduced from conformational studies, two cyclic cholecystokinin (CCK) analogues were synthesized by conventional peptide synthesis: Boc-D-Asp-Tyr(SO3H)-Ahx-D-Lys-Trp-Ahx-Asp-Phe-NH2 [compound I (Ahx, 2-aminohexanoic acid)] and Boc-gamma-D-Glu-Tyr(SO3H)-Ahx-D-Lys-Trp-Ahx-Asp-Phe-NH2 (compound II). The binding characteristics of these peptides were investigated on brain cortex membranes and pancreatic acini of guinea pig. Compounds I and II were competitive inhibitors of [3H]Boc[Ahx28,31]CCK-(27-33) binding to central CCK receptors and showed a high degree of selectivity for these binding sites (compound I: Ki for pancreas/Ki for brain, 179; compound II: Ki for pancreas/Ki for brain, 1979). This high selectivity was associated with a high affinity for central CCK receptors (compound I: Ki, 5.1 nM; compound II: Ki, 0.49 nM). Similar affinities and selectivities were found when 125I Bolton-Hunter-labeled CCK-8 was used as a ligand. Moreover, these compounds were only weakly active in the stimulation of amylase release from guinea pig pancreatic acini (EC50 greater than 10,000 nM) and were unable to induce contractions in the guinea pig ileum (to 10(-6) M). The two cyclic CCK analogues, therefore, appear to be synthetic ligands exhibiting both high affinity and high selectivity for central CCK binding sites. These compounds could help clarify the respective role of central and peripheral receptors for various CCK-8-induced pharmacological effects.
