Solid-phase synthesis of tetrahydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one derivatives.

An efficient method for solid-phase construction of tetrahydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one scaffold is described. Polymer-bound 4-(bromomethyl)-3-nitrobenzoic acid was reacted with alpha-amino acid methyl esters, followed by nitro group reduction and hydrolysis. Subsequent intramolecular cyclization and alkylation at N(4) afforded the structurally diverse products in high yields and excellent purities.

Deconvolution by omission libraries.

Omission libraries, synthesized by omitting one amino acid in all coupling positions, are very efficient tools for the rapid identification of the amino acid components of bioactive peptides. Based on the determined amino acids, an occurrence library can be defined and prepared which is much less complex than the full one while still comprising the bioactive peptide.

Synthesis and renin inhibitory activity of angiotensinogen analogues having dehydrostatine, Leu psi [CH2S]Val, or Leu psi [CH2SO]Val at the P1-P1' cleavage site.

The synthesis and in vitro renin inhibitory potencies of angiotensinogen (ANG) analogues having amide (CONH) bond replacements at P1-P1', the Leu-Val cleavage site, corresponding to Leu psi[CH2SO]Val, and the trans olefinic analogue of statine (Sta), 4(S)-amino-6-methyl-2(E)-heptenoic acid (dehydrostatine, Dhs), are reported. These are compared to P1-P1' Leu psi[CH2NH]Val-, Sta-, or Phe-Phe-substituted analogues of the same template. The Dhs pseudodipeptide was found to be an adequate mimic of a trans CONH bond and gave a peptide, H-Pro-His-Pro-Phe-His-Dhs-Ile-His-D-Lys-OH, approximately equal in potency to a Phe-Phe-containing inhibitor, but 200-fold less potent than its Sta-substituted congener. That the enhanced potency of the Sta-containing peptide most likely depends on hydrogen bonding as well as tetrahedral geometry is indicated by the 50-100-fold lower potency of the tetrahedral Leu psi[CH2S]Val and Leu psi[CH2SO]Val analogues as compared to the Leu psi[CH2NH]Val-containing congener.

Structure-activity relationships of enkephalins containing serially replaced thiomethylene amide bond surrogates.

An isomeric series of four leucine-enkephalin analogs containing the thiomethylene ether unit as an amide bond replacement in all positions have been prepared by solid phase methods. The resulting pseudopeptides divulged widely differing retentive behaviors on reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). An analog containing the Phe psi[CH2S]Leu dipeptide replacement at the 4-5 position exhibited binding close to the parent, leucine enkephalin; its guinea pig ileum (GPI) activity was the highest of the analogs tested. Another compound, Tyr psi[CH2S]Gly1-2]-Leu-enkephalin, also displaced 3H-etorphine well in the binding assay, but caused increased contractions in the GPI assay at low concentrations. The Phe psi[CH2S]Leu results are not compatible with the necessity of a beta-turn structure for agonist activity in the GPI assay.

Synthetic atrial peptide inhibits intracellular calcium release in smooth muscle.

The effects of a synthetic atrial peptide (atriopeptin II; AP II) on the agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ release was examined in the isolated rabbit aorta. The agonist-induced phasic contraction in a Ca2+-free physiological salt solution containing 2 mM ethyleneglycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl-ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA-PSS) was used as an indicator of the intracellular Ca2+ release. The addition of AP II (10(-9)-10(-7) M) for 15 min to the tissue during the EGTA-PSS exposure caused a dose-dependent inhibition of norepinephrine (NE; 10(-6) M)-induced phasic contraction. The half-maximal inhibiting concentration of AP II was 3 X 10(-9) M, with 10(-7) M AP II causing 91% inhibition. This was confirmed by studying the inhibitory effect of AP II (10(-7) M) on NE-stimulated 45Ca efflux. Furthermore, the internal Ca2+ release by histamine (10(-5) M) and caffeine (25 mM), both of which share this internal Ca2+ pool with NE, was also inhibited by AP II. Thus AP II appears to be a potent inhibitor of the intracellular Ca2+ release that is utilized by various agonists for the activation of vascular smooth muscle. This may be an important mechanism by which AP II produces relaxation of blood vessels.

Atriopeptin II lowers cardiac output in conscious sheep.

Atrial natriuretic peptides cause natriuresis, kaliuresis, diuresis, and hypotension. They relax vascular smooth muscle in vitro, and they dilate renal vessels in vivo. Hence, we tested the hypothesis that they produce hypotension by lowering total peripheral resistance. The studies were performed in conscious chronically instrumented sheep standing quietly in their cages. Atriopeptin II (AP II) was infused into the right atrium for 30 min at 0.1 nmol X kg-1 X min-1. Atriopeptin II lowers arterial pressure (9%, P less than 0.05) by lowering cardiac output (18%, P less than 0.05), stroke volume (28%, P less than 0.05), and right atrial pressure (2.3 mmHg, P less than 0.05). Heart rate and total peripheral resistance increase (16 and 13%, respectively, P less than 0.05). Partial ganglionic blockade with trimethaphan camsylate during AP II infusion prevents the increases in heart rate and total peripheral resistance. The changes in right atrial pressure, stroke volume, and cardiac output persist, and arterial pressure falls further (27%, P less than 0.05). These hemodynamic data are consistent with direct AP II-induced relaxation of venous smooth muscle with reduction of venous return, right atrial pressure, stroke volume, cardiac output, and arterial pressure, followed by reflex activation of the sympathetic nervous system to increase heart rate and total peripheral resistance. Because partial ganglionic blockade alone and AP II alone cause similar reductions in right atrial pressure (2.1 and 2.3 mmHg, respectively) but AP II causes a greater fall in stroke volume (28 vs. 13%), it is possible that AP II also causes coronary vasoconstriction.

Coronary vasoconstrictor effects of atriopeptin II.

Atrial natriuretic peptides lower arterial pressure, cardiac filling pressure, and cardiac output. In isolated, Langendorff-perfused guinea pig hearts, atriopeptin II, the 23-amino acid atrial natriuretic peptide, is also a potent coronary vasoconstrictor. The median effective dose for atriopeptin II in guinea pig hearts is 26 nanomoles, the threshold constrictor dose is 5 nanomoles, and flow nearly ceases at a dose of 100 nanomoles in perfused hearts at constant pressure. Similar concentrations of atriopeptin II also cause coronary vasoconstriction in rat and dog heart preparations. The disulfide bridge is necessary for vasoconstrictor activity; reduction of this bridge abolishes the activity, as it does the other biological activities of atrial natriuretic peptides.

Stimulation of cyclic GMP formation in smooth muscle cells by atriopeptin II.

Addition of synthesized atriopeptin II (AP-2), a 23 amino acid peptide of rat atria, to rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle cells results in the stimulation of cyclic GMP production by the cells. The EC50 for the effect is 81 nM and a 7 fold increase occurs at 10 microM AP-2. Cyclic GMP levels increased within 15 seconds after the addition of AP-2 and were maximal at 5 minutes. Cyclic GMP levels in primary rabbit kidney cells were increased 15 fold by 10 microM AP-2. However, no increase in cyclic GMP was detected in WI-38 fibroblast cells after the addition of 10 microM AP-2. Cyclic AMP levels were not affected by AP-2 in any of these cell systems. The effect upon cyclic GMP accumulation was specific for AP-2; none of the other compounds or peptides tested affected cyclic GMP levels.