An investigation of position 3 in arginine vasopressin with aliphatic, aromatic, conformationally-restricted, polar and charged amino acids.

We report the solid-phase synthesis and some pharmacological properties of 23 new analogs of arginine vasopressin (AVP) which have the Phe3 residue replaced by a broad variety of amino acids. Peptides 1-9 have at position 3: (1) the mixed aromatic/aliphatic amino acid thienylalanine (Thi) and the aliphatic amino acids; (2) cyclohexylalanine (Cha); (3) norleucine (Nle); (4) Leu; (5) norvaline (Nva); (6) Val; (7) alpha-aminobutyric acid (Abu); (8) Ala; (9) Gly. Peptides 10-23 have at position 3: the aromatic amino acids, (10) homophenylalanine (Hphe): (11) Tyr; (12) Trp; (13) 2-naphthylalanine (2-Nal); the conformationally-restricted amino acids (14) Pro; (15) 2-aminotetraline-2-carboxylic acid (Atc); the polar amino acids (16) Ser; (17) Thr; (18) Gln; and the charged amino acids (19) Asp; (20) Glu; (21) Arg; (22) Lys; (23) Orn. All 23 new peptides were evaluated for agonistic and, where appropriate, antagonistic activities in in vivo antidiuretic (V2-receptor) and vasopressor (V1a-receptor) assays and in in vitro (no Mg2+) oxytocic assays. The corresponding potencies (units/mg) in these assays for AVP are: 323+/-16; 369+/-6 and 13.9+/-0.5. Peptides 1-9 exhibit the following potencies (units/mg) in these three assays: (1) 379+/-14; 360+/-9; 36.2+/-1.9; (2) 294+/-21: 73.4+/-2.7; 0.33+/-0.02; (3) 249+/-28; 84.6+/-4.3; 4.72+/-0.16; (4) 229+19; 21.4+/-0.6; 2.1+/-0.2; (5) 134+/-5; 31.2+/-0.9; 28.4+/-0.2; (6) 114+/-9; 45.3+2.3; 11.3+/-1.6; (7) 86.7+/-2.5; 4.29+/-0.13; 0.45+/-0.03; (8) 15.5+/-1.5; 0.16+/-0.01; approximately 0.02: (9) 3.76+/-0.03; < 0.02; in vitro oxytocic agonism was not detected. These data show that the aliphatic amino acids Cha, Nle, Leu, Nva and Val are well-tolerated at position 3 in AVP with retention of surprisingly high levels of antidiuretic activity. Peptides 2-9 exhibit significant gains in both antidiuretic/vasopressor (A/P) and antidiuretic/oxytocic (A/O) selectivities relative to AVP. [Thi3]AVP appears to be a more potent antidiuretic and oxytocic agonist than AVP and is equipotent with AVP as a vasopressor agonist. The antidiuretic potencies of peptides 10-23 exhibit drastic losses relative to AVP. They range from a low of 0.018+/-0.001 units/mg for the Lys3 analog (peptide 22) to a high of 24.6+/-4.6 units,mg for the Hphe3 analog (peptide 10). Their vasopressor potencies are also drastically reduced. These range from a low of < 0.002 units/mg for peptide 22 to a high of 8.99+0.44 units/mg for the Atc3 analog (peptide 15). Peptides 10-23 exhibit negligible or undetectable in vitro oxytocic agonism. The findings on peptides 10-23 show that position 3 in AVP is highly intolerant of changes with aromatic, conformationally-restricted, polar and charged amino acids. Furthermore, these findings are in striking contrast to our recent discovery that position 3 in the potent V2/V1a/OT antagonist d(CH2)5D-Tyr(Et)2VAVP tolerates a broad latitude of structural change at position 3 with many of the same amino acids, to give excellent retention of antagonistic potencies. The data on peptides 1-4 offer promising clues to the design of more potent and selective AVP V2 agonists.

Ethosuximide is primarily metabolized by CYP3A when incubated with isolated rat liver microsomes.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) subfamily responsible for ethosuximide metabolism was investigated by HPLC assay of ethosuximide incubations with isolated rat liver microsomes from control rats and from rats treated with inducing agents to enrich hepatic microsomes in selected CYP isoforms. Inducing agents included beta-naphthoflavone (BNF, CYP1A inducer), phenobarbital (PB, CYP2B/2C/3A), isoniazid (INH, CYP2E1), clotrimazole (CTZ, CYP3A), clofibrate (CLO, CYP4A), and an imidazole CTZ-analog known as CDD3543 (CYP3A). Incubations with BNF, INH, CTZ, and control microsomes showed significantly (p<0.05) more metabolite produced by CTZ microsomes vs. BNF, INH, and control microsomes at 10, 30, 60, and 120 min incubation. Ethosuximide metabolite levels generated by CTZ microsomes at 120 min were 36.5 times those of control microsomes. Correspondingly, ethosuximide concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) lower for incubations with the CTZ microsomes compared with BNF, INH, and control microsomes at 60 and 120 min. Sixty-minute incubations with all microsome groups exhibited significantly (p<0.05) higher metabolite formation rates (nmol/nmol CYP/min) for CTZ (11.8x control) and PB (9.6x control) microsomes vs. all other groups. Antibody inhibition experiments demonstrated ethosuximide metabolite levels for PB microsomes were not affected by CYP2B1 antibodies, whereas CYP3A2 antibodies reduced metabolite levels for both PB and CTZ microsomes by over 80%. These results indicate CYP3A is primarily responsible for ethosuximide metabolism in rats.

Effects of a D-Cys6/L-Cys6 interchange in nonselective and selective vasopressin and oxytocin antagonists.

We report the solid-phase synthesis of the D-Cys6 analogues of arginine-vasopressin (AVP), peptide 1, of the selective AVP vasopressor (V1a receptor) antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-O-methyltyrosine]arginine-vasopressin (d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]-AVP, (A)), peptide 2, of the three nonselective antidiuretic/vasopressor (V2/V1a receptor) AVP antagonists d(CH2)5[Tyr(Et)2]VAVP (B), d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2]VAVP (C), and d(CH2)5[D-Phe2]VAVP (D) (where V = Val4), peptides 3-5, of the nonselective oxytocin (OT) antagonists d(CH2)5-[Tyr(Me)2]OVT (E) and d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Tyr-NH2(9)]OVT (F) (where OVT = ornithine-vasotocin), peptides 6 and 7, and of the selective OT antagonists desGly-NH2,d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]OVT (G) and d(CH2)5]D-Trp2,Thr4]OVT (H), peptides 8 and 9. We also present the repeat syntheses of the previously reported d(CH2)5[D-Trp2]AVT (peptide 10) and its D-Cys6 analogue (peptide 11) (where AVT = arginine-vasotocin). Peptides 1-11 were assayed for agonistic and antagonistic activities in in vivo V1a, V2, and oxytocic assays and in in vitro oxytocic assays without and with 0.5 mM Mg2+. With V2 and V1a agonistic potencies of 0.82 and 0.41 units/mg, [D-Cys6]AVP has retained less than 0.3% of the V2 and V1a potencies of AVP. It exhibits no oxytocic activity and is an in vitro OT antagonist. pA2 = 6.67 (no Mg2+); pA2 = 5.24 (0.5 mM Mg2+). By contrast, with one or two exceptions, a D-Cys6/L-Cys6 interchange in antagonists 2-9, although resulting in reductions of antagonistic potencies in all assays for virtually all peptides 2-9 relative to A-H, has been well tolerated. For peptides 2-5, the anti-V2 and anti-V1a pA2 values range from approximately 5.54 to 7.33 and from 7.19 to 8.06, respectively; the range of in vitro anti-OT pA2 values (no Mg2+) is 7.35-7.87; with 0.5 mM Mg2+, the range is 7.24-8.21. Peptides 2 and 4 have in vivo anti-OT pA2s = 6.60 and 7.16, respectively. For peptides 6-9, the range of in vitro anti-OT pA2 values (no Mg2+) is 7.65-7.96; with 0.5 mM Mg2+, the range is 7.41-7.65, and the in vivo anti-OT pA2 values range from 6.85 to 7.33. With an in vivo anti-OT pA2 = 7.33, peptide 6 is equipotent with its parent E. The in vivo anti-OT potencies of peptides 7-9 are significantly reduced relative to those of F-H. The in vitro anti-OT (0.5 mM Mg2+) pA2 values of 10 and 11 are 7.54 and 7.50, both significantly lower than those previously reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Advances in the design of selective antagonists, potential tocolytics, and radioiodinated ligands for oxytocin receptors.

Despite intensive efforts over three decades in many laboratories, attempts to design peptide antagonists of oxytocin (OT) which are more selective for OT uterine receptors than for vasopressin (AVP), vasopressor V1a receptors, have met with only limited success. We will review the current status of the field and report on studies in our laboratories which have led to the design of highly potent non-selective and selective OT antagonists. Virtually all are more potent (2-6 fold) and a number are more selective (10-12 fold) than Atosiban, currently in clinical trial as a tocolytic agent. Many of these new published and unpublished OT antagonists are thus promising candidates for development as potential tocolytic agents for the prevention of pre-term labor. We also report on promising new radioiodinatable ligands for OT receptors. All the new OT antagonists are valuable new tools for studies on the physiological roles of OT and as probes for OT and AVP receptors.

An exploration of the effects of L- and D-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid substitutions at positions 2, 3 and 7 in cyclic and linear antagonists of vasopressin and oxytocin and at position 3 in arginine vasopressin.

We have investigated the effects of mono-substitutions with the conformationally restricted amino acid, 1,2,3,4 tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic) at position 3 in arginine vasopressin (AVP), at positions 2, 3 and 7 in potent non-selective cyclic AVP V2/V1a antagonists, in potent and selective cyclic and linear AVP V1a antagonists, in a potent and selective oxytocin antagonist and in a new potent linear oxytocin antagonist Phaa-D-Tyr(Me)-Ile-Val-Asn-Orn-Pro-Orn-NH2 (10). We report here the solid-phase synthesis of peptide 10 together with the following Tic-substituted peptides: 1. [Tic3]AVP: 2. dICH2)5[D-TIc2]VAVP: 3, d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2Tic3]VAVP: 4, d(CH2)5[Tic2Ala-NH2(9)]AVP: 5. d(CH2)5[Tyr]Me)2.Tic3,Ala-NH2(9)]AVP: 6. d(CH2)5 [Tyr(Me)2,Tic7]AVP: 7, Phaa-D-Tyr(Me)-Phe-Gln-Asn-Lys-Tic-Arg-NH2: 8, desGly-NH2,d[CH2]5[Tic2,Thr4]OVT: 9. desGly-NH2d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2Thr4, Tic7[OVT; 11, Phaa-D-Tic-Ile-Val-Asn-Orn-Pro-Orn-NH2, using previously described methods. The protected precursors were synthesized by the solid-phase method, cleaved, purified and deblocked with sodium in liquid ammonia to give the free peptides 1-11 which were purified by methods previously described. Peptides 1-11 were examined for agonistic and antagonistic potency in oxytocic (in vitro, without Mg2+) and AVP antidiuretic (V2-receptor) and vasopressor (V1a-receptor) assays. Tic3 substitution in AVP led to drastic losses of V2, V1a and oxytocic agonistic activities in peptide 1, L- and D-Tic2 substitutions led to drastic losses of anti-V2/anti-V1a and anti-oxytocic potencies in peptides 2, 4, 8 and 11 (peptide 2 retained substantial anti-oxytocic potency; pA2 = 7.25 +/- 0.025). Whereas Tic3 substitution in the selective V1a antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Ala-NH2(9)]AVP(C) led to a drastic reduction in anti-V1a potency (from anti-V1a pA2 8.75 to 6.37 for peptide 5, remarkably, Tic3 substitution in the V2/V1a antagonist d(CH2)5(D-Tyr(Et)2]VAVP(B) led to full retention of anti-V2 potency and a 95% reduction in anti-V1a potency. With an anti-V2 pA2 = 7.69 +/- 0.05 and anti-V1a pA2 = 6.95 +/- 0.03. d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2, Tic3]VAVP exhibits a 13-fold gain in anti-V2/anti-V1a selectivity compared to (B). Tic7 substitutions are very well tolerated in peptides 6, 7 and 9 with excellent retention of the characteristic potencies of the parent peptides. The findings on the effects of Tic3 substitutions reported here may provide promising leads to the design of more selective and possibly orally active V2 antagonists for use as pharmacological tools and as therapeutic clinical agents for the treatment of the syndrome of the inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH).

Design of potent and selective linear antagonists of vasopressor (V1-receptor) responses to vasopressin.

We report the solid-phase synthesis of 21 linear analogues of A and D, two nonselective antagonists of the vasopressor (V1) and antidiuretic (V2) responses to arginine vasopressin (AVP). A is Aaa-D-Tyr(Et)-Phe-Val-Asn-Abu-Pro-Arg-Arg-NH2 (where Aaa = adamantylacetyl at position 1). D is the des-Arg9 analogue of A. Nine new analogues of A (1-9) and 12 new analogues of D (10-21) were obtained. The following substitutions either alone or in combination were incorporated in A and/or in D: phenylacetic acid (Phaa) and tert-butylacetic acid (t-Baa) at position 1; D-Tyr2, D-Tyr(Me)2; Gln4; Arg6, Lys6, Orn6, MeAla7. The nine new analogues of A are (1) [Arg6], (2) [Lys6], (3) [Orn6], (4) [Phaa1,Lys6], (5) [Phaa1,Orn6], (6) [D-Tyr2], (7) [D-Tyr2,Arg6], (8) [Phaa1,D-Tyr2], (9) [Phaa1,D-Tyr2,Arg6]. The 12 new analogues of D are (10) [Arg6], (11) [Lys6], (12) [Orn6], (13) [Phaa1,Lys6], (14) [Phaa1,Gln4,Lys6], (15) [Phaa,D-Tyr(Me)2,Lys6], (16) [Phaa,D-Tyr(Me)2,Gln4,Lys6], (17) [Phaa1,D-Tyr2,Gln4,Lys6], (18) [t-Baa1,Lys6], (19) [t-Baa1,Gln4,Lys6], (20) [Arg6,MeAla7], (21) [t-Baa1,Arg6,MeAla7]. All 21 peptides were examined for agonistic and antagonistic potencies in AVP V2 and V1 assays in rats. With the exception of 6, the eight remaining new analogues of A are equipotent or more potent than A as V1 antagonists. Peptides 2-9 are less potent than A as V2 antagonists. Three, 4, 5, and 9, exhibit significant gains in anti-V1/anti-V2 selectivities (selectivity ratio = 41, 14, and infinite, respectively), compared to A (anti-V1, pA2 = 7.75 +/- 0.07; selectivity ratio = 0.44). Peptide 9 is unique in both series. It is a highly potent V1 antagonist (anti-V1 pA2 = 8.62 +/- 0.11 and is the first linear peptide to exhibit substantial antidiuretic agonism (4.1 +/- 0.2 units/mg). With the exception of 12, the remaining 11 analogues of D are 8-40 times more potent than D as V1 antagonists. Eight of these peptides exhibit significant gains in anti-V1/anti-V2 selectivities compared to D (anti-V1 pA2 = 7.43 +/- 0.06; selectivity ratio = 1.6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Design and synthesis of a peptide having chymotrypsin-like esterase activity.

A peptide having enzyme-like catalytic activity has been designed and synthesized. Computer modeling was used to design a bundle of four short parallel amphipathic helical peptides bearing the serine protease catalytic site residues serine, histidine, and aspartic acid at the amino end of the bundle in the same spatial arrangement as in chymotrypsin (ChTr). The necessary "oxyanion hole" and substrate binding pocket for acetyltyrosine ethyl ester, a classical ChTr substrate, were included in the design. The four chains were linked covalently at their carboxyl ends. The peptide has affinity for ChTr ester substrates similar to that of ChTr and hydrolyzes them at rates approximately 0.01 that of ChTr; total turnovers greater than 100 have been observed. The peptide is inhibited by ChTr specific inhibitors and is inactive toward benzoyl arginine ethyl ester, a trypsin substrate. The peptide is inactivated by heating above 60 degrees C, but recovers full catalytic activity upon cooling and lyophilization from acetic acid.

Solid-phase synthesis of 16 potent (selective and nonselective) in vivo antagonists of oxytocin.

We describe the synthesis and some pharmacological properties of 16 new in vivo antagonists of oxytocin. These are based on modifications of three peptides: A, B, and C. A is our previously reported potent and selective antagonist of the vasopressor (V1 receptor) responses to arginine-vasopressin (AVP)/weak oxytocin antagonist, [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid), 2-O-methyltyrosine]arginine-vasopressin (d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]AVP. B reported here, the Ile3 analogue of A, is d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]AVT (5 below) and C is our previously reported potent nonselective oxytocin antagonist/AVP V1 antagonist, [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-O- methyltyrosine,8-ornithine]vasotocin (d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]OVT). The following substitutions and deletions, alone or in combination, were employed in A, B, and C: 1-deaminopenicillamine (dP); D-Tyr(Alk)2 (where Alk = Me or Et), D-Phe2; Val4, Thr4; delta 3-Pro7; Lys8, Cit8; desGly9, desGly-NH2(9), Ala-NH2(9); Leu-NH2(9); Arg-NH2(9). The 16 new analogues are (1) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Me)2]AVP, (2) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Me)2, Val4,delta 3-Pro7]AVP, (3) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr-(Et)2, Val4,Lys8]VP, (4) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2,Val4,Cit8]VP, (5) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2]AVT, (6) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Lys8]VT, (7) dP[Tyr(Me)2]AVT, (8) dP[Tyr(Me)2,Val4]AVT, (9) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Me)2, Val4]AVT, (10) d(CH2)5[D-Phe2,Val4]AVT, (11) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]OVT, (12) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Ala-NH2(9)]OVT, (13) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Leu-NH2(9)]OVT, (14) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Arg-NH2(9)]OVT, (15) desGly-NH2(9),d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]OVT, (16) desGly9,d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]OVT. 1-4 are analogues of A, 5-10 are analogues of B, and 11-16 are analogues of C. Their protected precursors were synthesized either entirely by the solid-phase method or by a combination of solid-phase and solution methods (1 + 8 or 8 + 1 couplings). All analogues were tested in rats for agonistic and antagonistic activities in oxytocic (in vitro, without and with Mg2+, and in vivo) assays as well as by antidiuretic and vasopressor assays. All analogues exhibit potent oxytocic antagonism in vitro and in vivo. With an in vitro pA2 (in the absence of Mg2+) = 9.12 +/- 0.09, dP[Tyr(Me)2]AVT is (7) one of the most potent in vitro oxytocin antagonists reported to date. Fifteen of these analogues (all but 6) appear as potent or more potent in vivo oxytocin antagonists than C (pA2 = 7.37 +/- 0.17). Analogues 1-9 and 14 are potent AVP V1 antagonists. Their anti-V1 pA2 values range from 7.92 to 8.45. They are thus nonselective oxytocin antagonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Novel linear antagonists of the antidiuretic (V2) and vasopressor (V1) responses to vasopressin.

We report the solid phase synthesis of a series of 16 linear analogues of the cyclic antagonist of the antidiuretic (V2) and the vasopressor (V1) responses to arginine vasopressin (AVP), d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2, Val4]AVP(A). Peptide 1, the linear precursor of (A), (CH2)5(SH)-CH2-CO-D-Tyr(Et)-Phe-Val-Asn-Cys-Pro-Arg-Gly-NH2 was modified at position six with alpha-L-aminobutyric acid (Abu) to give peptide 2. Further modifications of the Abu6 analogue (No. 2) at position one by substituting cyclohexylacetic acid (Caa), cyclohexylpropionic acid (Cpa), 1-adamantaneacetic acid (Aaa), phenylacetic acid (Phaa), tert.-butylacetic acid (t-Baa), isovaleric acid (Iva), propionic acid (Pa), L-penicillamine (P), tert.-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) or omitting any substituent at this position, and/or in combination with Arg-NH2(9), Ala-NH2(9), D-Arg8-Arg-NH2(9), and desGly9 modifications yielded the remaining 14 peptides. All 16 peptides were examined for agonistic and antagonistic potencies in AVP V2 and V1 assays in rats. Apart from the Cpa analogue and the analogue lacking any substituent in the 1-position, all exhibit substantial V2 and V1 antagonism. A number are as potent as (A) as V2 antagonists. With an anti-V2 pA2 = 8.11 +/- 0.07, Aaa-D-Tyr(Et)-Phe-Val-Asn-Abu-Pro-Arg-Arg-NH2 (No. 6) is as potent as any cyclic AVP V2 antagonist reported to date. The PaI analogue of No. 6 exhibits promising anti-V2/anti-V1 selectivity. These findings prove conclusively that a ring structure is not a requirement for recognition of or for binding to AVP V2 or V1 receptors. This discovery thus offers a promising new approach to the design of peptide and non-peptide antagonists of AVP and perhaps also to other cyclic peptides such as somatostatin, atrial-natriuretic factor, insulin, and the recently discovered endothelin. Some of these linear antagonists may be of value as pharmacological tools and as therapeutic agents.

Potent V2 vasopressin antagonists with structural changes at their C-terminals.

A variety of structural changes were made in the C-terminals of four potent antidiuretic (V2) antagonists. The parent analogs were all derivatives of [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)]arginine-vasopressin, d(CH2)5AVP, namely d(CH2)5[D-Phe2,Ile4]AVP, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ile4]AVP, d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2, Val4]AVP and d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2,Ile4]AVP. A number of amino acid amides were substituted for the C-terminal 9-glycinamide without reducing their V2-antagonistic potencies in rats. Many non-amino acid structures were also tolerated at the C-terminals of these antagonists and this end of these peptides can be prolonged without interfering with antagonistic potencies. Such altered V2-antagonists may be useful for the development of radioactive ligands, affinity labels and in affinity columns for studies on antidiuretic receptors. These C-terminal modifications also provide useful information for the further development of potent and specific V2-antagonists which can be valuable pharmacological tools and also promise to become useful clinically for the treatment of excessive water retention.

C-terminal deletions in agonistic and antagonistic analogues of vasopressin that improve their specificities for antidiuretic (V2) and vasopressor (V1) receptors.

We report the solid-phase synthesis of 12 desGly and 12 desGly(NH2) analogues of arginine-vasopressin (AVP), two highly selective antidiuretic (V2) agonists, four vasopressor (V1) antagonists, and five V2/V1 antagonists. The parent AVP agonists are (1) AVP, (2) 1-deamino[8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dDAVP), and (3) its 4-valine analogue, dVDAVP. The parent V1 antagonists are (4) [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid)] arginine-vasopressin (d(CH2)5AVP), (5) d(CH2)5VDAVP, (6) [1-deaminopenicillamine,4-valine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin (dPVDAVP), and (7) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)]AVP. The parent V2/V1 antagonists are (8) d(CH2)5[D-Phe2,Ile4]AVP, (9) d(CH2)5[D-Phe2]VAVP, (10) d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2]VAVP, (11) d(CH2)5[Tyr(Et2]VAVP, and (12) d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ile4]AVP. All 24 analogues were tested for agonistic and antagonistic activities in in vivo rat vasopressor and rat antidiuretic assays. The desGly and desGly(NH2) analogues of 1-3 are either weak partial agonists or weak antagonists of the V1 responses to AVP. Except for desGly(NH2)AVP, which is a weak V2 agonist, the remaining desGly and desGly(NH2) analogues of 1-3 exhibit substantial V2 agonism and are thus highly selective V2 agonists. With antidiuretic activity of 321 units/mg, a resynthesized desGly(NH2)dVDAVP is equipotent with AVP as a V2 agonist. Thus our previously stated conclusion about the need for C-terminal CONH2 for V2 agonism is no longer valid. The four pairs of desGly/desGly(NH2) analogues of the V1 antagonists (4-7) all retained varying degrees of V1 antagonism and some exhibited striking enhancements in anti-V1/V2 selectivity. Thus the desGly/desGly(NH2) analogues of d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP are highly potent V1 antagonists/weak V2 antagonists with anti-V1/V2 selectivities of 200 and 1200, respectively. The four pairs of desGly/desGly(NH2) analogues of the V2/V1 antagonists (8-11) exhibited enhancements, full retention, or slight diminishment of both V1 and V2 antagonism, with the desGly analogue being usually the more potent of each pair. The desGly and desGly(NH2) analogues of d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ile4]AVP (12) exhibited anti-V2/V1 selectivities of 46 and about 440, respectively. These are the most selective V2 antagonists reported to date. Many of these analogues could serve as useful pharmacological tools in studies on the roles of AVP in normal and pathophysiological circumstances.

No requirements of cyclic conformation of antagonists in binding to vasopressin receptors.

Early reports that acyclic analogues of oxytocin and vasopressin (AVP) have drastically reduced agonistic activities established as dogma that an intact hexapeptide ring structure is essential for the pharmacological activities of analogues of neurohypophysial hormones. Thus, virtually all the many hundreds of agonistic and antagonistic analogues of the neurohypophysial peptides that have been reported contain an intact ring. Here we report that an intact ring is not essential for binding of antagonistic AVP analogues to vasopressor (V1) or antidiuretic (V2) AVP receptors. In fact, one acyclic AVP analogue seems to be about as potent as any previously reported cyclic V2 antagonist. This finding suggests new possibilities for the design of AVP analogues as pharmacological probes and for therapeutic use. Similar modifications might be useful in the design of analogues of other cyclic peptides, such as calcitonin, somatostatin and the atrial natriuretic factors.

Potent and selective antagonists of the antidiuretic responses to arginine-vasopressin based on modifications of [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-D-isoleucine,4- valine]arginine-vasopressin at position 4.

As part of a program in which we are attempting (a) to obtain more potent and/or more selective antagonists of the antidiuretic responses to arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and (b) to delineate the structural features at positions 1-9 required for antidiuretic antagonism, we have synthesized 13 new analogues of the antidiuretic antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-D-isoleucine,4- valine]arginine-vasopressin [d(CH2)5[D-Ile2]VAVP] in which the valine residue at position 4 has been replaced by the L-amino acids Abu, Ile, Thr, Ala, Ser, Nva, Gln, Leu, Lys, Cha, Asn, Orn, and Phe and two new analogues of the antidiuretic antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-D-phenylalanine,4- valine]arginine-vasopressin [d(CH2)5[D-Phe2]VAVP] with the Val4 residue replaced by Ser and Orn. These analogues are 1, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Abu4]AVP; 2, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ile4]AVP; 3, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Thr4]AVP; 4, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ala4]AVP; 5, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ser4]AVP; 6, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Nva4]AVP; 7, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2]AVP; 8, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Leu4]AVP; 9, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Lys4]AVP; 10, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Cha4]AVP; 11, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Asn4]AVP; 12, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Orn4]AVP; 13, d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Phe4]AVP; 14, d(CH2)5[D-Phe2,Ser4]AVP; and 15, d(CH2)5[D-Phe2,Orn4]AVP. The protected peptide precursors for these peptides were prepared by the solid-phase method, followed by ammonolytic cleavage. The free peptides 1-15 were obtained by deblocking with Na in NH3, oxidation of the resultant disulfhydryl compounds with dilute K3[Fe(CN)6], and purification on Sephadex G-15 in a two-step procedure with 50% HOAc and 0.2 M HOAc as eluants. Analogues 1-15 were tested in rats for agonistic and antagonistic activities by antidiuretic, vasopressor, and oxytocic assays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Potent antagonists of the antidiuretic responses to arginine-vasopressin based on modifications of [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid),2-D- phenylalanine,4-valine]arginine-vasopressin at position 4.

As part of a program in which we are attempting (a) to delineate the structural features at positions 1-9 in our previously reported antidiuretic antagonists required for antidiuretic antagonism and (b) to obtain analogues with enhanced antiantidiuretic potency and/or selectivity, we have synthesized 14 new analogues of the antidiuretic antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid),2-D-phenylalanine,4-valine]arginine-vasopressin [d-(CH2)5-D-Phe2VAVP), in which the valine residue at position 4 was replaced by the following L-amino acids and glycine: Ile, Abu, Thr, Ala, Gln, Lys, Cha, Nle, Nva, Phe, Leu, Gly, Tyr, and Pro. These analogues are 1, d-(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Ile4AVP; 2, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Abu4AVP; 3, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Thr4AVP; 4, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Ala4AVP;5, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2AVP; 6, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Lys4AVP; 7, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Cha4AVP; 8, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Nle4AVP; 9, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Nva4AVP; 10, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Phe4AVP; 11, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Leu4AVP; 12, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Gly4AVP; 13, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Tyr4AVP; 14, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Pro4AVP. The protected intermediates required for the synthesis of all of these peptides were prepared by the solid-phase method and cleaved from the resin by ammonolysis. Following deblocking with Na in NH3 and oxidizing with K3[Fe(CN)6], each peptide was purified on Sephadex G-15 in a two-step procedure using 50% HOAc and 0.2 M HOAc as eluants. Analogues 1-14 were tested for agonistic and antagonistic activities by antidiuretic, vasopressor, and oxytocic assays in rats. Analogues 1, 2, and 4-6 exhibit no detectable antidiuretic agonistic activity. All analogues, with the exception of the Pro4-containing analogue, are antidiuretic antagonists. Their antiantidiuretic pA2 values are as follows: 1, 8.24 +/- 0.08; 2, 7.96 +/- 0.07; 3, 7.62 +/- 0.09; 4, 7.52 +/- 0.03; 5, 7.21 +/- 0.07; 6, 7.22 +/- 0.12; 7, 7.19 +/- 0.08; 8, 7.12 +/- 0.09; 9, 6.99 +/- 0.06; 10, 6.07 +/- 0.11; 11, 6.07 +/- 0.11; 12, 5.85 +/- 0.05; 13, approximately 5.57; 14, a weak agonist (0.004 U/mg). Analogues 1-14 also antagonize the vascular responses to arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and the in vitro oxytocic responses to oxytocin. Analogues 1, 2, 3, and 5 have also been shown to antagonize the in vivo oxytocic responses to oxytocin. Five of these analogues (1, 2, 3, 6, and 7) exhibit enhanced antiantidiuretic/antivasopressor selectivity. d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Lys4AVP and other position-4 analogues with side-chain functional groups may be useful covalent ligands with which to probe the structural characteristics of AVP renal and vascular receptors. With an antiantidiuretic "effective dose" of 0.46 +/- 0.07 nmol/kg and a pA2 value of 8.24 +/- 0.08, d(CH2)5-D-Phe2,Ile4AVP (1) appears to be the most potent antidiuretic antagonist reported to date.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Design of more potent antagonists of the antidiuretic responses to arginine-vasopressin.

As part of a program aimed at designing more potent and selective antagonists of the antidiuretic responses to arginine-vasopressin (AVP), we substituted O-alkyl-D-tyrosine (where alkyl = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, or n-propyl) at position 2 in our eight previously reported O-alkyl-L-tyrosine antagonists of antidiuretic and vasopressor responses to AVP. We also substituted D-tyrosine for L-tyrosine in two vasopressor antagonists with weak antidiuretic agonistic activity, [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid),4-valine,8-D-arginine]vasopressin [d(CH2)5VDAVP] and its L-arginine isomer [d(CH2)5VAVP]. The ten analogues, synthesized by the solid-phase method, are as follows: 1, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(Me)VDAVP; 2, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(Et)VDAVP; 3, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(i-Pr)VDAVP; 4, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(n-Pr)VDAVP; 5, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(Me)VAVP; 6, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(Et)VAVP; 7, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(n-Pr)VAVP; 8, d-(CH2)5-D-Tyr(i-PR)VAVP; 9, d(CH2)5-D-TyrVDAVP; 10, d(CH2)5-D-TyrVAVP. These analogues were tested for agonistic and antagonistic activities in rat antidiuretic and rat vasopressor systems. All ten D-tyrosine analogues possess transient weak antidiuretic activities (0.004--0.05 U/mg). Subsequent doses of AVP are reversibly antagonized for 1--3 h, depending on the dose of the antagonist. They exhibit the following antiantidiuretic pA2 values: 1, 7.19 +/- 0.11; 2, 7.59 +/- 0.04; 3, 7.51 +/- 0.06; 4, 7.60 +/- 0.05; 5, 7.77 +/- 0.07; 6, 7.81 +/- 0.07; 7, 7.66 +/- 0.11; 8, 7.61 +/- 0.06; 9, 7.03 +/- 0.05; 10, 7.51 +/- 0.08. They are all effective antagonists of vasopressor responses to AVP. Analogues 1--8 are two to ten times more potent than their respective O-alkyl-L-tyrosine isomers as antidiuretic antagonists. Since the vasopressor potencies of the O-alkyl-L-tyrosine analogues have either diminished or remained virtually unchanged, these analogues exhibit a selective increase in their antiantidiuretic/antivasopressor ratios with respect to their respective O-alkyl-L-tyrosine analogues. The finding that the substitution of an unalkylated D-tyrosine for L-tyrosine in d(CH2)5VDAVP and d(CH2)5VAVP converts these weak antidiuretic agonists into potent antagonists of antidiuretic responses to AVP is highly significant, especially in view of the relative ease of synthesis and much higher yields of unalkylated vs. alkylated tyrosine analogues. These ten new analogues are potentially useful as pharmacological tools and as therapeutic agents. The findings presented here have also obvious potential for the design of even more potent and selective antidiuretic antagonists.

Conformation of disulfide bridges in peptides with pepsin partial sequences.

On the basis of Raman spectra investigation of two model heterodetic cyclic peptides, containing partial sequences of pepsin fragments 45--50 and 206--210 of the chain, it was concluded that the disulfide bridge conformation in pepsin is determined not only by the size and conformation of the peptide loops created by disulfide bridges, but also by the peptide fragments located outside these loops.