Discovery of Potent, Selective, and Short-Acting Peptidic V2 Receptor Agonists.

The vasopressin analogue desmopressin (desamino-d-arginine8 vasopressin, dDAVP, 1) is a potent vasopressin 2 (V2) receptor (V2R) agonist approved in many countries for the treatment of diabetes insipidus, primary nocturnal enuresis, nocturia, and coagulation disorders. Since 1 is primarily excreted via the kidneys, an age-related decline in kidney function leads to slower elimination, prolonged antidiuresis, and hyponatremia. In search of novel, potent, selective, and short-acting peptidic V2R agonists, we synthesized a series of C-terminally truncated analogues of [Val4]dDAVP, 2, modified in positions 2, 3, and 7 and/or at the disulfide bridge. The peptides were evaluated for in vitro potency at the human V2 receptor, selectivity versus the related receptors (human vasopressin 1a receptor, human vasopressin 1b receptor, and human oxytocin receptor), and pharmacokinetic profiles in rodents and other higher species. The truncated analogues show excellent potency at the V2R, increased systemic clearance, and shorter half-life in rats. Two compounds 19 (c(Bua-Cpa-Thi-Val-Asn-Cys)-Pro-Agm) and 38 (c(Bua-Cpa-Thi-Val-Asn-Cys)-Pro-d-Arg-NEt2) have been selected for clinical development for nocturia.

Potent antidiuretic agonists, deamino-vasopressin and desmopressin, and their inverso analogs: NMR structure and interactions with micellar and liposomic models of cell membrane.

Deamination of vasopressin (AVP) enhances its antidiuretic activity. Moreover, introduction of D-Arg8 instead of its L enantiomer in deamino-vasopressin (dAVP) results in an extremely potent and selective antidiuretic agonist - desmopressin (dDAVP). In this study we describe the synthesis, pharmacological properties and structures of these two potent antidiuretic agonists, and their inverso analogs. The structures of the peptides are studied in micellar and liposomic models of cell membrane using CD spectroscopy. Additionally, three-dimensional structures in mixed anionic-zwitterionic micelles are obtained using NMR spectroscopy supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Our conformational studies have shown that desmopressin in a membrane mimicking environment adopts one of the characteristic for vasopressin-like peptides ß-turn - in position 3,4. Furthermore, dDAVP shows the tendency to create a ß-turn in the Cys6-Gly9 C-tail, considered to be important for the antidiuretic activity, and also some tendency to adopt a 5,6 ß-turn. In desmopressin, in contrast to the native vasopressin, deamino-vasopressin and [D-Arg8]-vasopressin (DAVP), the Arg8 side chain, crucial for the pressor and antidiuretic activities, is very well exposed for interaction with the receptor, whereas Gly9, crucial for the pressor and uterotonic activities, is situated together with the C-terminal amide group very close to the tocin ring. The arrangements of the Gln4 and Asn5 side chains, being crucial for OT activity, also differ in desmopressin as compared to those of AVP, dAVP and DAVP. These differences in arrangement of the important for activities side chains are likely to explain extremely potent and selective antidiuretic activities of desmopressin. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 245-259, 2016.

Design of potent and selective agonists for the human vasopressin V1b receptor based on modifications of [deamino-cys1]arginine vasopressin at position 4.

The glutamine(4) residue in [deamino-Cys(1)]arginine vasopressin (dAVP) was replaced by a broad series of aliphatic, aromatic, polar, and charged amino acids to give the following peptides: d[Gly(4)]AVP (1), d[Ala(4)]AVP (2), d[Abu(4)]AVP (3), d[Nva(4)]AVP (4), d[Nle(4)]AVP (5), d[Leu(4)]AVP (6), d[Ile(4)]AVP (7), d[Thi(4)]AVP (8), d[Phe(4)]AVP (9), d[Tyr(4)]AVP (10), d[Trp(4)]AVP (11), d[Asn(4)]AVP (12), d[Ser(4)]AVP (13), d[Thr(4)]AVP (14), d[Dap(4)]AVP (15), d[Dab(4)]AVP (16), d[Orn(4)]AVP (17), d[Lys(4)]AVP (18), d[Arg(4)]AVP (19), d[Har(4)]AVP (20), and d[Glu(4)]AVP (21). All peptides were synthesized by solid-phase methods using BOC chemistry for all but one peptide (8), which required the use of Fmoc chemistry. The binding and functional properties of these position 4 substituted analogues of dAVP (d[X(4)]AVP) and the previously reported d[Cha(4)]AVP (Derick et al. Endocrinology 2002, 143, 4655-4664) were evaluated on human arginine vasopressin (AVP) V(1a), V(1b), and V(2) receptors and on the human oxytocin (OT) receptor expressed in living Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Binding studies revealed that broad modifications of the fourth residue of dAVP do not significantly alter affinity for the human V(1b) receptor. Only aromatic (Phe, Tyr, Trp) or negatively charged (Glu) residues reduce V(1b) affinity. By contrast, the human V(1a) and more particularly the human V(2) and the OT receptors are more sensitive to many of these modifications. Thus, the replacement of the Gln(4) residue of dAVP by aliphatic (Leu, Cha) or positively charged (Orn, Lys, Arg, Har) amino acids led to analogues exhibiting drastic reductions of their affinity for the human V(1a), V(2), and OT receptors. Consequently, in addition to the previously reported d[Cha(4)]AVP, peptides 6 and 17-20 display excellent selectivities for the human V(1b) receptor. The key structural requirement responsible for optimal V(1b) selectivity appears to be the length and branching of the aliphatic side chain of the fourth residue of dAVP. Functional studies performed on CHO cells expressing the different human AVP/OT receptors confirm the V(1b) selectivity of peptides 6, 17, 18, 20, and d[Cha(4)]AVP. However, d[Arg(4)]AVP (19), which triggers an excellent coupling between the human V(2) receptor and adenylyl cyclase, was found to exhibit both V(1b) and V(2) agonism in functional tests. More interestingly, these functional experiments revealed that, depending on the AVP/OT receptor, a given d[X(4)]AVP analogue may behave as a full agonist or as a partial agonist. This strongly suggests that the fourth residue of dAVP plays an important role in the coupling between the hormone-receptor complex, the heterotrimeric G protein, and the effectors. In conclusion, the synthesis of these d[X(4)]AVP analogues led to the discovery of new V(1b) agonists with high affinity and greatly enhanced selectivities. Thus, in addition to d[Cha(4)]AVP, d[Leu(4)]AVP (6), d[Orn(4)]AVP (17), d[Lys(4)]AVP (18), and d[Har(4)]AVP (20) are useful new tools for studying the structure and the function of the human V(1b) receptor.

Conformations and receptor activity of desmopressin analogues, which contain gamma-turn mimetics or a psi[CH(2)O] isostere.

Three analogues of the antidiuretic drug desmopressin ([1-desamino,8-D-arginine]vasopressin) have been prepared. In two of these, gamma-turn mimetics based on a morpholin-3-one framework have been inserted instead of residues Phe3-Asn5, whereas the third analogue has a methylene ether isostere in place of the amide bond between residues 3 and 4. The three analogues were used to probe if the structure determined for desmopressin in aqueous solution, which contains an inverse gamma-turn centered around Gln4, is important in interactions with the vasopressin V(2) receptor. Conformational studies revealed that the analogues that contain either an inverse gamma-turn mimetic or a methylene ether isostere mimicked the conformation of desmopressin fairly well and very well, respectively. Despite this, the analogues displayed only very low agonistic activities at the vasopressin V(2) receptor. Consequently, an inverse gamma-turn involving residues Phe3-Asn5 does not appear to be important when desmopressin is bound to the V(2) receptor. In addition, it was concluded that the amide bond between Phe3 and Gln4 in desmopressin is crucial for interactions with the antidiuretic V(2) receptor.

Prodrugs of peptides. 18. Synthesis and evaluation of various esters of desmopressin (dDAVP).

Various aliphatic carboxylic acid esters and a carbonate ester of the tyrosine phenolic group in desmopressin were synthesized to assess their suitability as prodrugs with improved bioavailability compared to the parent peptide. The chemical stability of the esters in aqueous solution was similar to that of simple phenol esters. The derivatives were quantitatively converted to desmopressin by enzymatic hydrolysis in human plasma and rabbit liver homogenate. The esters with a straight side chain were rapidly hydrolyzed by alpha-chymotrypsin, but the sterically hindered pivalate ester proved more stable than desmopressin itself toward this proteolytic enzyme. All the esters were more lipophilic than desmopressin in terms of octanol-buffer partition coefficients. The transport of the compounds across confluent monolayers of Caco-2 cells was examined. No correlation between permeability and lipophilicity was found but the pivalate ester showed a markedly higher flux relative to desmopressin. It is concluded that appropriate esterification of desmopressin at its tyrosine group may be a potentially useful prodrug approach.

2-O-alkyltyrosine derivatives of 1-deamino-arginine-vasopressin: highly specific and potent antidiuretic agonists.

We report the solid-phase synthesis of eight 2-O-alkyltyrosine analogues of 1-deamino-arginine-vasopressin (dAVP) with enhanced antidiuretic agonistic specificity. These peptides are as follows: 1-deamino[2-O-methyltyrosine]-arginine-vasopressin (dTyr(Me)AVP), 1-deamino[2-O-ethyltyrosine]arginine-vasopressin (dTyr(Et)AVP), 1-deamino[2-O-methyltyrosine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dTyr(Me)DAVP), 1-deamino[2-O-ethyltyrosine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dTyr(Et)DAVP), 1-deamino[2-O-methyltyrosine,4-valine]arginine-vasopressin (dTyr(Me)VAVP), 1-deamino[2-O-ethyltyrosine,4-valine]arginine-vasopressin (dTyr(Et)VAVP), 1-deamino[2-O-methyltyrosine,4-valine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dTyr(Me)VDAVP), and 1-deamino[2-O-ethyltyrosine,4-valine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dTyr(Et)VDAVP). All analogues were tested for antidiuretic, antivasopressor, and antioxytocic activities. Deamination, as was expected, significantly enhanced the antidiuretic properties of these analogues relative to their parent N-amino-O-alkyltyrosine peptides. With the exception of dTyr(Me)AVP, all of these analogues are antagonists of the vasopressor responses to AVP and of the uterine response to oxytocin. Thus they all exhibit high antidiuretic agonistic specificity. Due to its remarkable properties, dTyr(Me)VDAVP is a unique compound in this series. It appears to be the most potent antidiuretic agonist (1740 units/mg) and also a vasopressor antagonist and a potent oxytocin antagonist. It is thus a highly specific antidiuretic agonist. In general, all of these new analogues are highly specific and thus are potentially useful as pharmacological tools and clinical agents.

Synthesis and some pharmacological properties of deamino(4-threonine,8-D-arginine)vasopressin and deamino(8-D-arginine)vasopressin, highly potent and specific antidiuretic peptides, and (8-D-arginine)vasopressin and deamino-arginine-vasopressin.

Deamino[4-threonine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dTDAVP), deamino[8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dDAVP), [8-D-arginine[vasopressin (DAVP), and deamino-arginine-vasopressin (dAVP) were synthesized by the solid-phase method and tested for their biological activities. dTDAVP has an antidiuretic potency of 793+/-95 units/mg and undetectable vasporessor activity, less than 0.02unit/mg. The antidiuretic-pressor (A/P) ratio of dTDAVP is greater than 39 000. dDAVP has an antidiuretic potency of 1200+/-126 units/mg and a vasopressor potency of 0.39+/-0.02; its A/P ratio is thus 3000. DAVP has an antidiuretic potency of 253+/-44 units/mg, a vasopressor potency of 1.1+/-0.04 units/mg, and an A/P ratio of 240. The A/P ratios of dDAVP and DAVP are much higher than those originally reported. dAVP has an antidiuretic potency of 1745+/-385 units/mg, a vasopressor potency of 346+/-13, and an A/P ratio of 5; values are in general agreement with those in the literature. Threonine subsitution has thus brought about a significant enhancement in antidiuretic specificity, a finding entirely consistent with earlier observations that enhancement of lipophilicity at position 4 alone or in combination in arginine-vasopressin can lead to enhanced antidiuretic specificity.

Solid phase synthesis and some pharmacological properties of 8-D-homoarginine-vasopressin and 1-deamino-8-D-homoarginine-vasopressin.

Fully protected 8-D-lysine-vasopresin and 1-deamino-8-D-lysine-vasopressin were synthesized by the solid phase method. Selective removal of the lysine protection and reaction with 1-guanyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole converted D-lysine into D-homoarginine. The title compounds were then obtained by treatment with sodium in liquid ammonia and oxidation in dilute aqueous solution. Although the antidiuretic activities are lower than for the corresponding D-argining derivatives, the even lower pressor effects make the new analogues highly specific antidiuretic agents. The A/P ratios for 8-D-homoarginine-vasopressin and its 1-deamino derivative are 100 and 3,300, respectively.